Abstract
A modified version of an industry standard wave modeling tool was evaluated, optimized, and utilized to investigate model sensitivity to input parameters and wave energy converter (WEC) array deployment scenarios. Wave propagation was investigated downstream of the WECs to evaluate overall near- and far-field effects of WEC arrays. The sensitivity study illustrated that wave direction and WEC device type were most sensitive to the variation in the model parameters examined in this study. Generally, the changes in wave height were the primary alteration caused by the presence of a WEC array. Specifically, WEC device type and subsequently their size directly resulted in wave height variations; however, it is important to utilize ongoing laboratory studies and future field tests to determine the most appropriate power matrix values for a particular WEC device and configuration in order to improve modeling results.