A standardised tidal-stream power curve, optimised for the global resource

Abstract Tidal-stream energy resource can be predicted deterministically, provided tidal harmonics and turbine-device characteristics are known. Many turbine designs exist, all having different (e.g. rated speed), which creates uncertainty in assessment or renewable system-design decision-making. A standardised normalised tidal-stream power-density curve was parameterised with data from 14 operational horizontal-axis turbines mean cut-in speed ?30% of speed). Applying FES2014 global (1/16° gridded resolution) up to 25 km the coast, allowed optimal assessment. Maximum yield found for ?97% maximum current (maxU) using 4 largest constituents (M2, S2, K1 O1) ?87% maxU a “high yield” scenario (highest Capacity Factor top 5% cases); little spatial variability either. Optimisation firm power gaps less than 2 h), is important problematic expensive energy-storage cases off-grid), ?56% – but due form speed. We find optimisation convergent design possible, our should help future research environmental impact