Energetic Potential Assessment of Wind-Driven Waves on the South-Southeastern Brazilian Shelf

• Main Authors: Phelype Haron Oleinik, Eduardo de Paula Kirinus, Cristiano Fragassa, Wiliam Correa Marques, Juliana Costi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-01-01
• Series: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
• Subjects: wave power; Brazilian continental shelf; numerical simulation; <span style="font-variant: small-caps; ">Tomawac</span>; renewable energy
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/7/2/25

Global electric energy demand is constantly growing, consequently leading towards the usage of renewable energy sources reducing pollution and increasing sustainability. The ocean is a poorly explored renewable energy source; thus, to evaluate the Brazilian wave energy budget, this study investigated the mean behaviour of the wave power rate on the south-southeastern Brazilian Shelf as well as analysed the temporal variability of the wave power rate at the most energetic locations near the coast. Three locations were examined, namely Laguna, Ilhabela and Farol Island, based on the criteria of high means and small standard deviations. The mean wave power rate was approximately <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mn>9</mn> <mo>.</mo> <mn>08</mn> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">k</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">W</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>/<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> on Laguna, <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mn>10</mn> <mo>.</mo> <mn>01</mn> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">k</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">W</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>/<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> on Ilhabela and <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mn>15</mn> <mo>.</mo> <mn>93</mn> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">k</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">W</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>/<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> on Farol Island. The standard deviation identified in the three locations reached values of <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mn>6</mn> <mo>.</mo> <mn>47</mn> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">k</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">W</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>/<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> on Laguna, <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mn>7</mn> <mo>.</mo> <mn>59</mn> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">k</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">W</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>/<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> on Ilhabela and <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mn>13</mn> <mo>.</mo> <mn>51</mn> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">k</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula><inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">W</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>/<inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi mathvariant="normal">m</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> on Farol Island. Temporal variability analysis was conducted through wavelet analysis. The results show a dominant yearly cycle with a background presence of synoptic cycles, with little deviation between the locations. The El Niño southern oscillation plays a minor role on the energy spectrum of Laguna and does not have a significant influence on Ilhabela and Farol Island.