During several projects, the team had the possibility to analyze several possibilities in order to improve the energy supply among various sectors. Since our main topic is offshore renewable energies, several solutions have been investigated in order to be integrated into the aquaculture sector. One of the major problems that modern aquaculture is facing worldwide, is the increased production cost which is directly linked to the increased operational and maintenance cost of the hatchery stations. A marine fish hatchery station is a very intensive production system and exhibits high energy demand. Our goal is to supply the energy demand in-situ through the exploitation of different renewable energy sources, thus mitigating the intermittence of the single source of energy. The team proposes to analyze the availability of renewable energy sources with modeling techniques and an on-field measurement instrument (weather station, floating or fixed mast, etc.).
Based on these activities, it is important to elaborate preliminary techno-economic feasibility analysis that takes into consideration renewable energy systems plants and storage plants.
In parallel, it is important to involve in an open discussion all the main stakeholders, like local administration, protected areas administration, touristic operators, economic operators, citizens, and soo on, to have a comprehensive understanding of the context in which blue energy projects are planned.
The objective is to define a strategic plan for:
- Defining future energy scenarios
- Design development and definition of the optimal Wave Energy Converters (WEC) device
- Evaluating risks and vulnerabilities
- Defining mitigation actions
In particular, the team has all the knowledge and skills necessary to go from preliminary design to installation, that is:
- Seabed characteristics evaluation to choose the most suitable mooring type
- Bathymetric trend analysis to identify the mostly flat area
- Intervisibility analysis to assess the possible visual impact of the device
- Wave and wind detailed assessment through numerical models able to reproduce the propagation of the waves and the wind
- Wave and wind statistical analysis to identify the main project parameters
- Choice of the most appropriate WEC and then optimization of the chosen device, to adapt its shape and its operation to the wave characteristics
At the same time, the aspect related to the choice of material is taken into consideration, in particular materials with the following characteristics are preferred:
- Short supply chain
- Low environmental impact
- Possibility of disassembly, reuse, and recycling
- Resistance to aggressive materials
Two main ideas have been identified to be appropriate to address the challenge:
- Pendulum Wave Energy Converter (PEWEC)
- Solar photovoltaic and Oscillating Water Column (SPOWC)
The Pendulum Wave Energy Converter (PeWEC) is, according to usual classifications, an offshore, floating, single-body, point-absorber, pendulum-based device. This device is composed of a sealed hull enclosing a pendulum and the power take-off (PTO) which begins its motion when the waves hit the hull.
