Towards the optimal use of an existing MRE electrical network from an electrothermal perspective

Marine renewable energy (MRE) is an interesting sustainable source of power. However, planning the cost-effective integration of MRE, and in particular of wave energy, in the energy mix remains a challenge as its levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is still greater than these of more conventional energy sources. This paper describes a preliminary study about the energy production management of a simulated wave energy converter (WEC) farm based on point absorbers that could be installed in the vicinity of the SEM-REV site, i.e. the French multi-technology open sea test site. The proposed approach is based on the temporal analysis of the electrothermal behavior of the export cable of the SEM-REV. The models developed under Matlab-Simulink®, are generic and can be easily extended to other WEC types and more sophisticated models and control strategies, as well as to other energy sources (e.g. offshore wind). It is demonstrated in this work that there is room to maximize the utilization of the export cable, which allows to increase wave electricity production during a predetermined sea-state sequence with limited to no curtailment.