Wave power assessment in Faroese waters using an oceanic to nearshore scale spectral wave model

Abstract It is expected that wave power will first become an economically competitive energy source in isolated electrical grids located in exposed regions. One such candidate is the Faroe Islands. The goal of this paper is to map the local wave power potential around the Faroe Islands using the spectral wave model MIKE 21 SW. A model is set up for the entire North Atlantic Ocean. The model is forced by 10 years of ERA5 re-analysis wind data and is validated against several directional offshore wave buoys along with nearshore acoustic Doppler current profile measurements. The results show that the wave climate is dominated by waves from south-to-west and to a lesser extent from northerly directions, while waves from other directions are more moderate and infrequent. The average wave energy flux at nearshore locations to the west and north is 45–55 kW/m, while significantly lower flux of 10–25 kW/m is found at eastern locations. The results show that the maximum significant wave heights are 12–14 m to the west, 9–13 m to the north and 8–9 m to the east. This energy assessment will provide the basis for an evaluation of wave energy absorption concepts suitable for deployment in the Faroese waters.