Abstract
THE growing global concern for non-conventional and renewable energy sources is based on several factors that justify their multiple benefits and advantages over conventional energy sources. One of the main factors is its important contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases, helping to counteract climate change and its negative impacts on the environment. (Cerdá et al., 2012). The motivation towards renewables is also driven by the need to eliminate energy dependence on conventional sources and thus promote energy security in the future. Countries dependent on fossil fuel imports are linked to steadily rising international prices and supply disruptions. In this sense, renewable sources are an option for these importing countries to diversify their energy matrix and reduce their vulnerability to changes in the global energy market. (Fraga-López & Martínez, 2007)
Colombia's maritime areas represent 45% of the territory and its coasts have an approximate length of 3,100 km (1,300 km in the Pacific Ocean). Avella Andrés Osorio Elizabeth Parra et al., n.d.), where there are potentials to exploit marine energies such as tidal energy. This energy can be generated using sea level height differences, implementing gates and turbines in a reservoir (see Fig. 1), or by installing a series of horizontal axis reversible microturbines to take advantage of tidal currents. The city of Tumaco located in the Colombian Pacific, has the possibility of developing this type of technology (reservoir type), even with local tidal heights with a range of less than 4 m, as companies such as EMEC Marine Energy have in recent years developed turbines that allow operating under these conditions with current speeds of less than 2 m/s. To this end, this research implemented a hydrodynamic model to estimate the tidal energy potential that could be produced through a reservoir-type plant.
As for the information required to create the hydrodynamic model, a sweep of information was conducted in local and international databases, among them Dimar, NOOA, which are characterized by being open source. Also, through the Unified Information System (SUI), administered by the Superintendence of Domestic Public Services of Colombia, it was possible to estimate the demand for electricity in the urban area of the Municipality of Tumaco-Colombia. To develop a technical-economic model that allows us to know what the value of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is and thus decide the viability of the project.(DIMAR, 2022)(NOOA, 2022)
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