AbstractsEconomics

Finding gaps on techno-economic assessment on wave energy converters: path towards commercialization = Análisis técnico-económico de los convertidores de energía undimotriz : trayectoria hacia la comercialización

by Adrián David Andrés Gutiérrez




Institution: Universidad de Cantabria
Department:
Year: 2015
Keywords: Wave energy; Techno-economic; Uncertainty; Met-ocean; Risk; Long term assessment; Energía de las olas; Técnico-económico Incertidumbre; Condiciones meteoceánicas; Riesgo; Producción a largo plazo
Record ID: 1123647
Full text PDF: http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaites?codigo=44914


Abstract

Although wave energy has proved to be feasible, the prototypes are on the testing phase and no technology has been successfully confirmed to be competitive yet. Therefore, a gap on the techno-economic analysis of wave energy converters has been identified. Hence, this thesis attempts to look at the techno-economic issues related to wave energy conversion. Firstly, due to the lack of long-term power production data for wave energy converter a computationally efficient methodology aiming to obtain the long-term power production series has been developed. Secondly, the influence of met-ocean conditions on the design/operation process of a converter has been analyzed. The latest failures of some actual prototypes show a lack of the understanding of the way the met-ocean conditions influence the design/operation process of a wave-energy converter. In this chapter, the design phase of a generic wave energy converter is analyzed from the location targeting perspective. Secondly, the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) parameters are analyzed on a global basis, in order to find the balance between resource and accessibility. Lastly, an analysis of the current economics of wave energy is performed. The effect of the uncertainties on met-ocean conditions on the finance of a particular wave energy project is further analysed.