Energy Management Research Journal (EMRJ)

Research Article

Combined Exploitation of onshore Wind-Wave Energy in the Niger Delta Coasts Based on a 37 year hindcast information

Osinowo Adekunle Ayodotun

Department of Marine Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

Submitted: September 12, 2019; Accepted: December 21, 2019.

Abstract

This study presents results from an investigation of combined wind-wave energy resources over the Niger delta coasts by using the significant wave height (SWH) and mean wave period (Tm) data spanning a 37 year (1980-2015) period and derived from the analysis of wave climate predictions generated by the WAVEWATCH-III (WW3) wind-wave model. Analysis showed that there are no rich wave energy regions and the wind generally showed very poor characteristics (WPD of 33.44 w/m²). Hence, the region is poor for large-scale wind power applications and not suitable for the exploitation of wave energy and in the establishment and design of wave energy converter systems. The monthly wind analysis revealed that the wind is strongest, most stable and most spread in August with respective values of 4.3m/s, 4.97 and 4.68m/s. Seasonal analysis showed that the wind is stronger, more stable and more spread in summer, winter and summer with respective values of 3.43m/s, 3.31 and 3.83m/s. The wind power density (WPD) and wave power density (WVPD) intensified westwards with maximum values of 70-86.5w/m² and 0.5-0.61kW/m found around Gulf of Guinea. The WPD and WVPD generally showed declining trends for the year and seasons. The wave power is minimum in the year 1999 respectively for the annual, winter and summer averages of 0.04kW/m. Wave power stability intensifies westwards. It is most stable (1.1-1.2) around Lagos Lagoon and least stable (1.5-1.62) around Ikpa Ibom IV. The wave power stability generally showed declining trends. Furthermore, the analysis of both the monthly variability index (MVI) and seasonal variability index (SVI) showed that wave power stability increases west wards. The greatest stability (0.96-2.3) is seen around Lagos Lagoon and southwards towards the western Gulf of Guinea. It is least stable (1.14-2.79) in Ikpa Ibom IV. For the MVI and SVI, temporal variation showed that the wave power is most stable in the year 1999 with respectively values of 0.33 and 0.07. The bivariate distribution of SWH and Tm revealed that the most frequent sea states coincide with the most energetic sea states.

Keywords

Wave Power; Trend; Distribution; Region; Variation; Occurrence.

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