Abstract
Wave resource assessment and mapping for the deployment of wave energy converters is generally produced analyzing long term databases built running wave hindcast models. As a matter of fact, wave power time evolution shows a large variability and in some areas, a significant amount of this power is actually concentrated during short duration highly energetic events. During such storms, weather conditions can reach levels above the operability threshold of a wave energy converter. In such conditions, the wave energy device is set in a survivability mode, a configuration in which no power can be extracted and available resource should be considered blank for a proper assessment.
Taking advantage of the availability of a new high resolution wave hindcast extending from the South of the North Sea to the Bay of Biscay a new wave resource assessment study is conducted, taking into account theoretical survivability thresholds.
Wave energy flux regional maps accounting for survivability thresholds together with statistical studies conducted at regional and local scales including assessment of energetic events persistence and sensitivity to the survivability threshold provide some interesting insight on the weight of the stormy events in the evaluation of the actually extractable power.