Proof of Concept of a Breakwater-Integrated Hybrid Wave Energy Converter Using a Composite Modelling Approach

Despite the efforts of developers, investors and scientific community, successful development a competitive wave energy industry is proving elusive. One most important barriers against conversion efficiency devices compared with all associated costs over lifetime an electricity generating plant, which translates into very high Levelised Cost Energy (LCoE) to that other renewable technologies such as wind or solar photovoltaic. Furthermore, industrial roll-out Wave Converter (WEC) severely hampered by problems related their reliability operability, particularly in open waters during harsh environmental sea conditions. WEC multi-purpose breakwaters—i.e., structure retains its primary function providing sheltered conditions for port operations develop includes production added co-benefit—appears be promising approach improve cost-effectiveness terms production. This paper presents proof concept study novel hybrid-WEC (HWEC) uses two well understood power technologies, air water turbines, integrated breakwaters, means composite modelling approach. Preliminary results indicate: firstly, hybridisation adequate harness available efficiently wide range metocean conditions; secondly, hydraulic performance breakwater improves; finally, no evident negative impacts overall structural stability specific integration were observed.