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A modelling study of the tidal stream resource of the Pentland Firth, Scotland

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  • O’Hara Murray, Rory
  • Gallego, Alejandro

Abstract

A high spatial resolution three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic ocean model of the Orkney Islands is used to investigate the tidal stream resource and physical environmental impact in the Pentland Firth, a high-resource area where the first arrays of tidal stream turbines are likely to be deployed in Scotland. Tidal stream turbines are represented in the model using a momentum sink in order to (1) find an upper bound estimate of the available resource, (2) explore alternative, more realistic scenarios, and (3) estimate their effect on the physical environment. The maximum extractable power scenario (M2 + S2 cycle mean of 5.3 GW) requires a high density of turbines deployed through the channels cross section and has a major impact on the physical environment. More realistic scenarios, with the placement of the turbines constrained by practical factors, resulted in considerably less extractable power but the physical environmental impact was disproportionately reduced. It was also found that a variable thrust coefficient can be used to optimise the performance of tidal arrays. Our work highlights the usefulness of 3D hydrodynamic models for tidal stream resource assessment and impact studies, and illustrates how the design of tidal stream arrays can affect the levels of sustainably harnessed tidal power.

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  • O’Hara Murray, Rory & Gallego, Alejandro, 2017. "A modelling study of the tidal stream resource of the Pentland Firth, Scotland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(PB), pages 326-340.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:102:y:2017:i:pb:p:326-340
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2016.10.053
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    1. Neill, Simon P. & Vögler, Arne & Goward-Brown, Alice J. & Baston, Susana & Lewis, Matthew J. & Gillibrand, Philip A. & Waldman, Simon & Woolf, David K., 2017. "The wave and tidal resource of Scotland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 3-17.
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    3. Scherelis, Constantin & Penesis, Irene & Hemer, Mark A. & Cossu, Remo & Wright, Jeffrey T. & Guihen, Damien, 2020. "Investigating biophysical linkages at tidal energy candidate sites: a case study for combining environmental assessment and resource characterisation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 399-413.
    4. Si, Yulin & Liu, Xiaodong & Wang, Tao & Feng, Bo & Qian, Peng & Ma, Yong & Zhang, Dahai, 2022. "State-of-the-art review and future trends of development of tidal current energy converters in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    5. Lucas, Natasha S. & Austin, Martin J. & Rippeth, Tom P. & Powell, Ben & Wakonigg, Pablo, 2022. "Turbulence and coherent structure characterisation in a tidally energetic channel," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 259-272.
    6. Yang, Zhaoqing & Wang, Taiping & Branch, Ruth & Xiao, Ziyu & Deb, Mithun, 2021. "Tidal stream energy resource characterization in the Salish Sea," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 188-208.
    7. De Dominicis, Michela & O'Hara Murray, Rory & Wolf, Judith, 2017. "Multi-scale ocean response to a large tidal stream turbine array," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PB), pages 1160-1179.
    8. Pérez-Ortiz, Alberto & Borthwick, Alistair G.L. & McNaughton, James & Avdis, Alexandros, 2017. "Characterization of the tidal resource in Rathlin Sound," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 229-243.
    9. Mestres, Marc & Cerralbo, Pablo & Grifoll, Manel & Sierra, Joan Pau & Espino, Manuel, 2019. "Modelling assessment of the tidal stream resource in the Ria of Ferrol (NW Spain) using a year-long simulation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 811-817.
    10. María José Suárez-López & Rodolfo Espina-Valdés & Víctor Manuel Fernández Pacheco & Antonio Navarro Manso & Eduardo Blanco-Marigorta & Eduardo Álvarez-Álvarez, 2019. "A Review of Software Tools to Study the Energetic Potential of Tidal Currents," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, May.
    11. Ward, Sophie L. & Robins, Peter E. & Lewis, Matt J. & Iglesias, Gregorio & Hashemi, M. Reza & Neill, Simon P., 2018. "Tidal stream resource characterisation in progressive versus standing wave systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 274-285.
    12. Liu, Xiaodong & Chen, Zheng & Si, Yulin & Qian, Peng & Wu, He & Cui, Lin & Zhang, Dahai, 2021. "A review of tidal current energy resource assessment in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    13. Goward Brown, Alice J. & Neill, Simon P. & Lewis, Matthew J., 2017. "Tidal energy extraction in three-dimensional ocean models," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PA), pages 244-257.

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