Combined wave and wind energysynergies and implementation

Resumen

Marine energy is one of the most promising alternatives to fossil fuels due to the enormous energy resource available. However, it is often considered uneconomical and difficult due in part to the initial stage of development of the technology and the harsh marine environment. With this in view, this Thesis proposes combined wave and wind energy farms as a way to enhance marine energy competitiveness by realising the mutual benefits. First, this combination increases the sustainability of both energies by means of a more rational harnessing of the natural resources. Second, combined energy systems result in reduced costs by means of the technological synergies between both renewables. In this sense, the benefits that can be realised by these combined systems are deeply analysed in this Thesis in a holistic way through numerous case studies implemented by third generation models used as a conjunction – SWAN and WAsP. Subsequently, the benefits considered in the different case studies are translated into monetary terms by assessing their impact on the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). It is found that the energy cost can be reduced around 50% relative to standalone wave farms. These results confirm the interest of combining wave and wind energy through co-located farms for the purpose of enhancing the economic viability of marine energy.