Abstract
Wave energy converters should be intentionally designed for the anticipated deployment conditions. As an example, this paper details the dynamics of an oscillating surge wave energy converter and the design strategy for the PacWave deployment site. Both the vertical location of the center of gravity and the generator power rating are found to impact the performance, with a lower center of gravity leading to better performance, and the generator power rating serving as a method for controlling capacity factor. Furthermore, an analysis of the performance assessment method (clustering and power matrix) identifies the intricacies of selecting an appropriate number of representative sea state clusters and the relationship with the the center of gravity and generator power rating. For the study completed, 4 clusters were sufficient to accurately discern performance trends.