LAPSE:2018.0558
Published Article
LAPSE:2018.0558
Spatial Environmental Assessment Tool (SEAT): A Modeling Tool to Evaluate Potential Environmental Risks Associated with Wave Energy Converter Deployments
Craig Jones, Grace Chang, Kaustubha Raghukumar, Samuel McWilliams, Ann Dallman, Jesse Roberts
September 21, 2018
Wave energy converter (WEC) arrays deployed in coastal regions may create physical disturbances, potentially resulting in environmental stresses. Presently, limited information is available on the nature of these physical disturbance or the resultant effects. A quantitative Spatial Environmental Assessment Tool (SEAT) for evaluating the potential effects of wave energy converter (WEC) arrays on nearshore hydrodynamics and sediment transport is presented for the central Oregon coast (USA) through coupled numerical model simulations of an array of WECs. Derived climatological wave conditions were used as inputs to the model to allow for the calculation of risk metrics associated with various hydrodynamic and sediment transport variables such as maximum shear stress, bottom velocity, and change in bed elevation. The risk maps provided simple, quantitative, and spatially-resolved means of evaluating physical changes in the vicinity of a hypothetical WEC array in response to varying wave conditions. The near-field risk of sediment mobility was determined to be moderate in the lee of the densely spaced array, where the potential for increased sediment deposition could result in benthic habitat alteration. Modifications to the nearshore sediment deposition and erosion patterns were observed near headlands and topographic features, which could have implications for littoral sediment transport. The results illustrate the benefits of a risk evaluation tool for facilitating coastal resource management at early market marine renewable energy sites.
Keywords
environmental effects, marine renewable energy, numerical modeling, ocean energy, risk assessment, sediment dynamics, Wave Energy, wave modeling, wave propagation
Subject
Suggested Citation
Jones C, Chang G, Raghukumar K, McWilliams S, Dallman A, Roberts J. Spatial Environmental Assessment Tool (SEAT): A Modeling Tool to Evaluate Potential Environmental Risks Associated with Wave Energy Converter Deployments. (2018). LAPSE:2018.0558
Author Affiliations
Jones C: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Chang G: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA [ORCID]
Raghukumar K: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
McWilliams S: Integral Consulting Inc., Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
Dallman A: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA
Roberts J: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87123, USA
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Journal Name
Energies
Volume
11
Issue
8
Article Number
E2036
Year
2018
Publication Date
2018-08-06
Published Version
ISSN
1996-1073
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Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: en11082036, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2018.0558
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doi:10.3390/en11082036
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Sep 21, 2018
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CC BY 4.0
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Sep 21, 2018
 
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Calvin Tsay
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