Quantifying Energy Storage Considerations in a Weak Grid-Connected Ocean Wave Energy System
Abstract
Wave Energy Converters (WECs) convert the oscillations of ocean waves into electricity. In wave energy systems, the sinusoidal nature of ocean waves produces intermittent power flow at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) unsuitable for weak grids. To adequately smooth the aggregated power injected into a weak grid, energy storage is needed for capacity firming. The storage size will vary based on the quantity of WECs, the location of storage, the type of storage, the time-shifts between the torque inputs of WECs and the amount of smoothing desired. The impacts of these factors on storage size and on output power quality are quantified in this thesis by modeling four wave energy systems operating under these conditions. According to the results, as the quantity of WECs and the smoothing requirement increases, the storage requirements at the PCC and at the system DC Link become nearly identical.
Description
Keywords
Engineering, Engineering--Electronics and Electrical, Engineering--Marine and Ocean
Citation
Wu, E. (2017). Quantifying Energy Storage Considerations in a Weak Grid-Connected Ocean Wave Energy System (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27498