Theoretical Wave Power Potential Alongside the Klaipeda Seaport Breakwaters

Abstract

Favourable geographical position of the Klaipėda Seaport and its breakwaters can draw attention in the future as a suitable site for a wave energy converter in Lithuania. Firstly, it is the most northern ice-free port in the eastern Baltic Sea. And, secondly, prevailing western winds and long fetches are yielding here one of the highest waves in the Baltic Sea. Available multiyear (1970–2010) visual wave height observations at Klaipėda coastal hydrometeorological station were used as an initial data which allowed determining multiyear monthly average wave heights and average seasonal wave heights of the design years. Using these wave heights as offshore conditions in the numerical wind-wave model MIKE 21 NSW enabled to assess temporal distribution of the theoretical wave power potential alongside the Klaipėda Seaport breakwaters, taking into consideration different wave propagation directions. It was found that during the autumn-winter season the theoretical wave power potential can be several times higher than in the spring-summer season and that the loss of wave power flux is the least when waves are propagating from the southwest direction alongside the southern breakwater of the Klaipėda Seaport.