Abstract
Understanding how wave energy converts (WECs) behave in arrays is crucial for the wave energy industry to develop commercial scale projects. This thesis offers insights on a variety of challenges that the wave energy industry is currently facing, including predicting coastal impacts, optimising arrays to maximise power absorption while minimising costs, and evaluating nonlinear effects on power absorption. The improved knowledge developed in this thesis can be used by the wave energy sector to design arrays while minimising cost and potential coastal impacts and thus will aid the industry on its path towards commercial scale deployments.