Article
 

Catching the Right Wave: Evaluating Wave Energy Resources and Potential Compatibility with Existing Marine and Coastal Uses

Pubblico Deposited

Contenuto scaricabile

Scarica il pdf
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/dz010r23b

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Many hope that ocean waves will be a source for clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, yet wave energy conversion facilities may affect marine ecosystems through a variety of mechanisms, including competition with other human uses. We developed a decision-support tool to assist siting wave energy facilities, which allows the user to balance the need for profitability of the facilities with the need to minimize conflicts with other ocean uses. Our wave energy model quantifies harvestable wave energy and evaluates the net present value (NPV) of a wave energy facility based on a capital investment analysis. The model has a flexible framework and can be easily applied to wave energy projects at local, regional, and global scales. We applied the model and compatibility analysis on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to provide information for ongoing marine spatial planning, including potential wave energy projects. In particular, we conducted a spatial overlap analysis with a variety of existing uses and ecological characteristics, and a quantitative compatibility analysis with commercial fisheries data. We found that wave power and harvestable wave energy gradually increase offshore as wave conditions intensify. However, areas with high economic potential for wave energy facilities were closer to cable landing points because of the cost of bringing energy ashore and thus in nearshore areas that support a number of different human uses. We show that the maximum combined economic benefit from wave energy and other uses is likely to be realized if wave energy facilities are sited in areas that maximize wave energy NPV and minimize conflict with existing ocean uses. Our tools will help decision-makers explore alternative locations for wave energy facilities by mapping expected wave energy NPV and helping to identify sites that provide maximal returns yet avoid spatial competition with existing ocean uses.
License
Resource Type
DOI
Date Available
Date Issued
Citation
  • Kim C-K, Toft JE, Papenfus M, Verutes G, Guerry AD, et al. (2012) Catching the Right Wave: Evaluating Wave Energy Resources and Potential Compatibility with Existing Marine and Coastal Uses. PLoS ONE 7(11): e47598. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047598
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 7
Journal Issue/Number
  • 11
Academic Affiliation
Dichiarazione dei diritti
Funding Statement (additional comments about funding)
  • Funding was provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Grant 1874, http://www.moore.org). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces

Le relazioni

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Elementi

Thumbnail Titolo Data caricata Visibilità Azioni
file details ChanFrancisZoologyCatchingRightWave.pdf 2017-07-17 Pubblico Scaricare