Quantum mechanics

Engineering

Energy supply

Marine engineering

Marine energy

Energy (signal processing)

Power (physics)

Electricity generation

Mechanical engineering

Physics

Renewable energy

Tidal power

Environmental science

Turbine

Meteorology

Electricity

Electrical engineering

Mains electricity

Energy

Temporal variability in renewable energy presents a major challenge for electrical grid systems. Tides are considered predictable due to their regular periodicity; however, the persistence and quality of tidal-stream generated electricity is unknown. This paper is the first study that attempts to address this knowledge gap through direct measurements of rotor-shaft power and shore-side voltage from a 1 MW, rated at grid-connection, tidal turbine (Orkney Islands, UK). Tidal asymmetry in turbulence parameters, flow speed and power variability were observed. Variability in the power at 0.5 Hz, associated with the 10-min running mean, was low (standard deviation 10–12% of rated power), with lower variability associated with higher flow speed and reduced turbulence intensity. Variability of shore-side measured voltage was well within acceptable levels (∼0.3% at 0.5 Hz). Variability in turbine power had <1% difference in energy yield calculation, even with a skewed power variability distribution. Finally, using a “t-location” distribution of observed fine-scale power variability, in combination with an idealised power curve, a synthetic power variability model reliably downscaled 30 min tidal velocity simulations to power at 0.5 Hz (R2 = 85% and ∼14% error). Therefore, the predictability and quality of tidal-stream energy was high and may be undervalued in a future, high-penetration renewable energy, electricity grid.

Power variability of tidal-stream energy and implications for electricity supply