Model Implementation and Real-Data Validation of On-Shore OWC Wave Energy Plants

Abstract

The European Energy Road Map 2050 and the Spanish Renewable Energies Plan for 2011-2020 are promoting the use of renewable energies as a necessary path to achieve the greenhouse gas reduction target necessary to avoid the rising global warming, and in particular, the use of Ocean Energy. Within the different types of on-shore wave-based energy devices, Oscillating Water Column (OWC) converters are one of the more widely used ones. An OWC plant is basically composed by a capture chamber coupled to a turbo-generator module. This paper deals with the model implementation of on-shore OWC wave energy power devices. The model is parameterised and validated for the particular case of Nereida MOWC wave power system using ad-hoc real data from Mutriku’s power plant.