Wave Energy Measurement Methodologies for IEC Technical Specifications

OPERA Work Package untitled “Applicability and Extension of IEC Technical Specifications using Open Sea Data” is dedicated to providing the first documented application of the ongoing normative process for the wave energy sector, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Specifications (TS) for marine energy, reduce the uncertainties in their application and provide recommendations to the relevant marine technical committee of the IEC (TC114) that will accelerate the establishment of standards based on these technical specifications.

The following IEC TS are studied within OPERA:

• 62600-10 Part 10: Assessment of mooring system for marine energy converters.
• 62600-30 Ed. 1.0 Part 30: Electrical power quality requirements for wave, tidal and other water current energy converters.
• 62600-100 Ed. 1.0 Part 100: Electricity producing wave energy converters – Power performance assessment.
• 62600-101 Ed. 1.0 Part 101: Wave energy resource assessment and characterization.
• 62600-102 Ed. 1.0 Part 102: Wave energy converter power performance assessment at a second location using measured assessment data.

The “Applicability and Extension of IEC Technical Specifications using Open Sea Data” is approached in two stages; firstly, the IEC TS are investigated as they are in their current publication state. Secondly, the application of the TS are evaluated and investigated in further detail in areas such as the effect of the measurement resolution on power performance scatter, and grid compliance, so that these results can provide recommendations and enhancements to the IEC TS.

This document represents the first stage in the examination of the practical application of the IEC Technical Specifications by extracting the necessary methodologies to enable their execution. More specifically, this deliverable examines:

• Basic methodological requirements, including data and models requirements.
• Practical implementation of methodology in a real sea deployment.
• Data processing and reporting requirements.
• Any technical issues or limitations of the Technical Specificacions, if applicable.

It should be noted that the emphasis is on the practical application of the Technical Specifications, and not the performance of the wave energy device itself.