Abstract
The application of hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) has been gaining ground in the recent years due to low-carbon policies of nations and increasing energy demand. However, marine energy sources such as waves have remained untapped notwithstanding their significant potential particularly in Iran. Iran has significant wave and energy resources, which can be exploited to overcome the energy crisis in the country. In this regard, this research examines the feasibility of a 15 kW hybrid wave-photovoltaic system in three ports of Iran namely Chabahar, Bushehr and Bandar Abbas on the shores of Persian Gulf and Oman Gulf using MATLAB/Simulink. Oscillating water column converters are deployed to harvest the wave energy. The findings indicated that the maximum energy production occurs in April for Chabahar and Bandar Abbas, and in July for Bushehr, while the minimum is in December for all the locations under study. The annual energy generation reaches 524, 506 and 520 kWh in Chabahar, Bandar Abbas and Bushehr, respectively. The levelized cost of electricity was estimated at 128 $/kWh for Bandar Abbas, 125 $/kWh for Bushehr and 124 $/kWh for Chabahar, indicating that Chabahar is the optimal location for the installation of the proposed system.