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Several universities across Canada are involved in the marine renewable energy sector. Acadia Tidal Energy Institute (ATEI) out of Acadia University focuses on projects that seek to ensure that tidal energy development is sustainable through risk reduction and informed decision-making. Over the past year this work involved:
Wave energy research in Canada continues to be driven by the West Coast Wave Initiative (WCWI) out of University of Victoria’s Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic). The WCWI completes highresolution wave resource assessments, detailed wave energy converter (WEC) technology simulations and both short-term and long-term electrical system integration studies. The WCWI has developed and validated a high resolution wave model of the British Columbia coast that is utilized as both an 11-year hindcast and a 48-hour forecast. The WCWI works to evaluate wave energy converter designs and control system configurations with a number of national and international technology developers, including Resolute Marine Energy, Carnegie Wave Energy, Ocean Energy Ltd, Seawood Designs and Accumulated Ocean Energy. Hourly power production estimates for future wave energy converter farms off the British Columbia coast, created by combining the detailed wave resource and device performance characteristics, are then simulated into the BC Hydro electrical grid. This allows for the identification of WEC farm locations which maximise utilization of the produced power and require the lowest capital investment on behalf of local utilities.
Additionally, WCWI researchers, in collaboration with Sandia National Labs, are developing a novel wave propagation code allowing for the implementation of WEC farms within SWAN; this will allow for higher resolution predictions of WEC farm power output and far field disturbance effects.