Annual Assessment of Theoretical Wind and Wave Energy Potentials and their Complementarity for the Southwestern Region of the South Atlantic

Abstract

The energy matrix in the world, as in Brazil, has as its main raw material oil and its derivatives. However, in relation to the world, Brazil stands out in the generation of electric energy through the use of renewable sources, as input, with the use of hydroelectric plants standing out. However, Brazil suffers from successive water crises, therefore, aspiring to diversify the energy matrix, and consequently the electric matrix, it is necessary to study other renewable energy sources available in the country. The objective of this study is, through the reanalysis of the Fifth ECMWF Global Reanalysis (ERA5), to quantify the theoretical wind and wave potentials, and their possible energy complementarity. The study region covers the Southwest Region of the South Atlantic Ocean, including the Brazilian coast of the Southeast and South Regions, within the domain of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Data with monthly temporal resolution were used, for the period 1991-2020. To calculate the magnitude of the winds at 100 m above the surface, the Logarithmic Profile Law was used, and the results showed that annually, the South Region, on the coast between the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul (30° -36°S, 045°-055°W), has the greatest energy potential from the winds. The analysis of the theoretical potential of the waves showed that the South Region has the greatest energy potential from the waves. Finally, the maximum values ​​of Wave Power Density found were higher than the minimum limits determined (P = 5 kW/m), observing that the generation of energy from the waves is always capable of complementing the generation of wind energy. While the wind generation showed low capacity to complement the generation of waves, almost zero in the entire study region.