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Model Validation and Site Characterization for Early Deployment MHK Sites and Establishment of Wave Classification Scheme
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Sandia National Laboratory (SNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Zhaoqing Yang, PNNL
- Vince Neary, SNL
The project is designed to quantify and classify the physical conditions of wave and tidal resources, to provide classification schemes that reduce design costs and generation uncertainty, and to provide the data necessary for informed siting decisions. These outcomes also relate to the program’s other goals. First, detailed resource data helps to focus the locations where environmental research and risk mitigation is most needed. Second, improved resource models provide test-sites with better predictions, and classification schemes are a critical input to efficient test-site test protocols that evaluate both device performance and device reliability. Finally, high-fidelity resource models can be used as input to device simulation tools, to produce device simulations output that is based on realistic time-histories of resource conditions.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Environmental and Sustainability
Research Sub-Category
Water Resources
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
Modeling the Path Forward for Marine Energy
Lead Companies
NREL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Levi Kilcher
- Elena Baca
Today’s marine energy industry is at an exciting turning point. Companies are testing out their early-stage prototypes—designed to harness the clean energy in ocean and river waves, currents, and tides—in their frst open-water trials. But while such trials are a necessary step toward commercialization, they can come with high costs and risk if the deployments do not go as planned. Luckily, experts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) design tools to reduce the costs and risks of developing novel marine energy technologies. Free and publicly available, these software models provide data on a device’s potential performance, the resources (waves, tides, and currents) available at deployment sites across the United States, and costs associated with installing and operating marine energy technologies. With fast and accurate data, developers can learn how to optimize their designs—and reduce time, costs, and risks—before prototypes head into the water.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Status
complete
Completion Date
2022
- Marine Energy
Modular Marine Energy Systems for Kelp Processing
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Mike Rinker
This document summarizes the results of a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored project conducted to understand, evaluate, and address the challenges related to kelp processing and alternative off-season use of the seafood industry capacity in Alaska, and address the potential use of marine renewable energy (MRE) systems to provide the necessary power for potential unit operations associated with kelp processing. The report describes potential energy conversion processes for kelp and fish waste followed by a techno-economic and life cycle analyses for these processes. An initial aquatic ecological assessment for Southwest Alaska that outlines location-specific aquatic ecologic assessments that will be required to address the influence of kelp farming on the marine ecosystem. A kelp compositional analysis was conducted on samples of several commercial food-grade kelp as well as local samples of Alaskan kelp. A world survey of kelp cultivation was included to provide information regarding the kelp industry around the world. Finally, an initial assessment of the co-development of marine renewable energy and kelp processing capabilities in Southwest Alaska.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Hydrokinetic
Status
complete
Completion Date
2021
- Marine Energy
Modular NH3 Energy Storage for Ocean Exploration
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jian Liu
Renewable power generated from wave energy has faced technological and cost barriers to entry into utility-scale electricity markets. As an alternative, the production of chemical fuels, such as ammonia (NH3) which has high energy density (11.5 MJ/L) and facile storage properties, may open wave energy to new markets including ocean exploration and transportation. The electrochemical method has been studied to synthesize NH3 from air and water at ambient conditions. Based on some recent work on the electrochemical synthesis of NH3, it is possible to achieve an overall conversion efficiency of 10% from wave energy to NH3 through an electrochemical reaction between air and water. If all the recoverable wave energy in the United States (1170 TWh/yr) is used to produce renewable NH3 fuel replacing hydrocarbon fuels, this can help reduce over 300 million tons of CO2 emission every year. Several potential application scenarios at sea have been proposed for renewable NH3 fuel including production and storage for marine shipping and seasonal energy storage for Arctic exploration. Liquefied NH3 has much higher energy density, both gravimetric and volumetric, than a variety of batteries but the energy efficiency of NH3 is lower than modern batteries such as Li-ion. The Levelized cost of storing NH3 prepared using electric energy is less than $0.2/kWh and the storage time can exceed 10,000 hours which indicates that NH3 can be a promising energy storage solution to make use of abundant wave energy. However, there are some safety and environmental concerns involved in the usage of NH3 at sea. The challenges in the electrochemical catalyst for the NH3 synthesis and how molecular simulation may help to screen electrocatalyst with high efficiency and selectivity were also briefly discussed.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
National Lab and University Collaboration for MHK
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Sandia National Laboratory (SNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Chirta Sivaraman, PNNL
- Budi Gunawan, SNL
This project will enable early-stage research that furthers the development of transformative, reliable, and cost competitive MHK technologies and reduce critical deployment barriers, as well as to meet the long-term goal of reducing the cost of energy of MRE systems. The deliverables will empower effective and efficient MRE early stage (and higher TRL) R&D by codifying relevant best-practice knowledge and experience, leverage prior instrumentation development efforts, and fill gaps to decrease the timelines and costs for commercially viable technology. It will help accelerate the development, acceptance and deployment of MHK technology by leveraging prior investments by DOE, the offshore engineering and measurement community, the MHK sector, and the Navy, as well as, verify solutions in upcoming DOE funded testing campaigns.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Hydrokinetic
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
Next Gen WEC PTO CO-Design
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Ryan Coe
This work plan describes a project targeted at developing the next generation of wave energy converter (WEC) power take-off (PTO) systems by employing a “co-design” approach, in which predictionless WEC control is used to provide a framework for tuning system dynamics to minimize LCOE. This three year project will deliver dramatic reductions in LCOE by developing methods for co-design design of the full WEC system, which includes hydrodynamics, PTO, and control. WECs are unique from other existing energy generation technologies. Instead of converting relatively steady input mechanical energy that fluctuates about some mean (e.g., wind, nuclear, hydroelectric), WECs must absorb a purely oscillatory energy input. This unique quality necessitates the usage of advanced control to maximize energy generation and minimize levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Control strategies can be used to shape the dynamic response of a WEC to achieve resonance and increase energy absorption by as much as 200% (see, e.g., [1-3]). However, WECs comprise complex hydrodynamic, mechanical, electrical, and sometimes hydraulic subsystems, all of which must be properly designed to be capable of accurately implementing a control strategy in order to reap the benefits of advanced control. Additionally, energy absorption does not necessarily equate with energy generation.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
Nonlinear Model Predictive Control Using Real-Time Iteration Scheme for Wave Energy Converters Using WEC-Sim Platform: Preprint
Lead Companies
NREL
Lead Researcher (s)
- Nathan Tom
One of several challenges that wave energy technologies face is their inability to generate electricity cost-competitively with other grid-scale energy generation sources. Several studies have identified two approaches to lower the levelized cost of electricity: reduce the cost over the device’s lifetime or increase its overall electrical energy production. Several advanced control strategies have been developed to address the latter. However, only a few take into account the overall efficiency of the power take-off (PTO) system, and none of them solve the optimization problem that arises at each sampling time on real-time. In this paper, a detailed Nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) approach based on the real-time iteration (RTI) scheme is presented, and the controller performance is evaluated using a time-domain hydrodynamics model (WEC-Sim). The proposed control law incorporates the PTO system’s efficiency in a control law to maximize the energy extracted. The study also revealed that RTI-NMPC clearly outperforms a simple resistive controller.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Research Sub-Category
Status
complete
Completion Date
2022
Don’t see your waterpower research?
Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org