Abstract
This paper reports the methodology established in the application of a numerical wave model for hindcasting of wave conditions around the United Kingdom, in particular for Scottish waters, for the purpose of wave energy resource assessment at potential device development sites. The phase averaged MIKE 21 Spectral wave model has been adopted for this study and applied to the North Atlantic region bounded by latitudes 10° N–70° N and longitudes 10° E−75° W. Spatial and temporal wind speeds extracted from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) have been utilised to drive the wave model. A rigorous calibration and validation of the model has been carried out by comparing model results with buoy measurements for different time periods and locations around Scotland. Significant wave height, peak wave period and peak wave direction obtained from the model correlated very well with measurements. Spatially varying statistical mean and maximum values of the significant wave height and wave power obtained based on a one-year wave hindcasting are in good agreement with the UK Marine Atlas values. The wave model can be used with high level of confidence for wave hindcasting and even forecasting of various wave parameters and wave power at any desired point locations or for regions. The wave model could also be employed for generating boundary conditions to small scale regional wave and tidal flow models.
Highlights
Electricity generation from ocean waves and tidal current is an active research worldwide and a number of successful technologies are being investigated in many parts of the globe
While it is possible to resolve various wave parameters including wave power from MIKE21 model, only the above wave parameters available from wave buoys have been selected for calibration and validation
Despite the wave model results are based on one year hindcast, it is evident from the plots, tables and arguments presented above that the model performed well and could be adopted for reliable hindcasting and even forecasting of wave conditions and wave power for regions in question
Summary
Electricity generation from ocean waves and tidal current is an active research worldwide and a number of successful technologies are being investigated in many parts of the globe. The grid resolution of the GEBCO bathymetry data was 30 arc seconds, which was used for most of the model domain except for Orkney, Pentland Firth, Shetland and north-west coast of Lewis regions which were covered by the Marine Scotland’s measured bathymetry data The size of both GEBCO and Marine Scotland data sets were too large for the MIKE 21 mesh generator to manage at one time, a data filter had been applied with the purpose to reduce the data size but without losing data integrity, which resulted in the size of the spatial grids reduced to 100 m (Easting) x 100 m (Northing) for the entire Orkney and Pentland waters and device deployment locations around it, and along the coast in the north. While it is possible to resolve various wave parameters including wave power from MIKE21 model, only the above wave parameters available from wave buoys have been selected for calibration and validation
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