Evaluation of Theoretical and Accessible Wave Power Resources along the Bulgarian Littoral (Western Black Sea)

Abstract

This paper deals with evaluation of both theoretical and accessible wave power resources along the Bulgarian littoral of Black Sea. Theoretical wave power resource is evaluated using wave hind cast covering 1948–2006. Evaluation of accessible wave power resource is performed in the account of the annual electricity production by wave energy conversion machines, which are based on the point absorber concept and apply water turbine with oscillating blades as a power takeoff subsystem. The theoretical wave power resource in Bulgarian territorial waters are assessed to reach 2187 GWh, which represents 6.208 % of the final electricity consumption in Bulgaria for 2017. The evaluation for the accessible wave power resource shows that it may cover about 1.65% of the final electricity consumption in Bulgaria for 2017.