Assessment of wave energy resources in the Pearl River estuary of China

Abstract

In the background of global carbon reduction, wave energy can provide a sustainable energy source in many coastal areas. Water depth is one of the factors that cannot be ignored in the assessment of wave energy resources, and the present study develops a new formula for evaluating wave energy suitable for any water depth. The availability wave energy around Wanshan of Guangdong, was analyzed for the past 20 y (2000–2020) using SWAN (simulating waves nearshore) model. This included an analysis of the annual and seasonal average distribution characteristics of wave energy. The 20 y of annual average data analysis showed that most of the significant wave height ( H s ) was less than 1.2 m, and the annual average energy flux offshore can reach 4.0 kW/m. The available wave energy was most consistent in winter and least consistent in summer. The effective H s occurred frequently, mostly over 50% of the year, in most of the research area except in the mouth of the Pearl River.