EngD case study – Luke Evans
Name: Luke Evans
Start year: 2019
Final year: 2023
EngD overview
EngD
Uncertainty quantification in tidal energy power performance assessment.
Funded / supported by
- IDCORE (Edinburgh, Exeter, Strathclyde universities)
- EMEC
Summary of EngD
Power performance assessment details how efficiently tidal energy converters convert kinetic energy into electrical. Uncertainties arise from model assumptions and the inexact specification of physical and numerical model parameters can greatly affect power estimates for a given site. The primary motivation behind this work is to increase confidence in the industry by improving the understanding of uncertainty in power performance assessments.
Outcomes / findings
According to data from the site studied, energy yield production estimates can vary between 0.5% and 8.1% (depending on instrument placement), showing the importance of accounting for uncertainties. Better understanding of uncertainty in power performance, at this stage, will better prepare developers for producing an accurate power curve for their tidal energy converter device.
Why?
Why is this research of interest to you?
Working on research in the tidal energy sector is very interesting because the industry is finally getting traction with new devices being deployed and real site data becoming available.
Why did you choose to go down this route?
I was really excited to do a project with EMEC, as they’re involved in so many state of the art projects. Moving to Orkney for this work has been a great experience, Orkney is a unique place which is very dedicated to renewables.
Why is the research important?
- For me, I feel the work I am producing will make a real contribution to the industry and help establish ways of assessing power performance of devices.
- For EMEC, power performance assessment is at the heart of what EMEC do, so bringing new understanding on treatment of uncertainties in measurement is very important.
- For the ocean energy industry, this work will help to establish robust ways of doing power performance and in the long run inform industry standards and specifications.
- For the world, helping to establish and accelerate the tidal energy industry will help progress a vital industry in renewable energy.
What challenges is it aiming to overcome?
The novelty of tidal turbines is creating many challenges, in particular novel concepts such as floating devices which have not been directly addressed in the standards.
Papers
- Impact on Energy Yield of Varying Turbine Designs under Conditions of Misalignment to the Current Flow | Energies, May 2023
