COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN TIDAL AND WAVE ENERGY

Abstract: The oceans of the earth offer vast amounts of renewable energy. The interaction of the sun-moon-earth system causes ones of the strangest phenomena called tides. The rise and fall of the tides – in some cases by more than 12 m – creates potential energy, and the ebb and flow currents create kinetic energy. Both forms of energy can be harvested by tidal energy technologies as renewable energy. The installation, operation and maintenance of ocean energy devices are relatively expensive. One promising improvement options is usage of modelling tools to improve array layout and design which will lead to increased device array efficiency and reduction of costs. This review provides an overview over the current state of research in the field of ocean energy. In particular, the authors focus on research beyond technology or technological improvements. This article also highlights areas where research gaps exists and where future research efforts should be directed to.

Keywords: Tidal energy, modelling tools, ebb, array configuration.