Spectral analysis of ocean waves for determination of fundamental energy parameters

Global demand for electricity is constantly increasing, while the availability of conventional energy sources is becoming less every day. Renewable energy sources are imposed as one of the solutions to this problem. Wind and solar power plants are widespread and deeply studied. However, much greater energy potential is hidden in the ocean and sea energy. It is theoretically confirmed that the current global demand for electricity can completely be covered by the utilization of this type of renewable energy. Among all types of ocean energy, wave energy is one of the most promising ways for conversion into electricity. Numerous patents for wave energy conversion systems have been registered in recent years. However, many efforts are still being made in order to improve the durability, reliability and efficiency of these systems. Knowledge of the wave parameters for wave energy conversion systems is crucial. In addition, prediction of wave height and its power can be used for control algorithms and thus increase efficiency or protect the system during extreme conditions. The wave represents a stochastic random process, which is usually analyzed statistically. In this paper, a spectral analysis of the measured sea waves is performed. An algorithm for determination of the most important wave parameters is developed in MATLAB working environment. The obtained results and their analysis are represented in the paper.