An assessment of wind and wave climate as potential sources of renewable energy in the nearshore Shenzhen coastal zone of the South China Sea

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) 2017-09, Vol.134, p.789-801
• Main Authors: Chen, Xinping, Wang, Kaimin, Zhang, Zenghai, Zeng, Yindong, Zhang, Yao, O'Driscoll, Kieran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative energy; Alternative energy sources; Buoys; Climate; Coastal zone; Energy; Local government; Renewable energy sources; Renewable resources; Shenzhen; The South China Sea; Water depth; Wave climate; Wave energy; Wave height; Wave power; Wind climate; Wind energy; Wind power; Wind speed; Wind waves
• ISSN: 0360-5442; 1873-6785
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.06.043

In this study, nearshore wind and wave climates and their potential as renewable energy sources are evaluated by means of buoy observational data for the Shenzhen coastal region. Six buoys were originally deployed in the region by the city local government of China in 2014, and are located in different areas of the study region, including Dapeng Bay, Daya Bay, Shenzhen Bay. The waters in these areas are relatively shallow, ranging in depth between about 3 and 22 m. The results show that during 2014–2016, annual mean wind speeds (at 2.5 m above the sea surface) in the region varied between 3.1 and 4.1 m s−1, leading to wind powers between 37 and 94 W m−2; significant wave heights were mostly less than 1 m, while wave energy periods were mostly in the range 3− 7 s. As a result, wave power was mostly less than 1.0 kW m−1. It is concluded that the potential of wave energy as a renewable resource at the buoy locations was very small. This may be due to the fact that, first, water depth is very shallow, and, secondly, the buoys are located in bays where the sea is somewhat semi-enclosed, all of which are not favorable for the development of wind waves. •Wind/wave climate and energy resources in the Shenzhen coastal zone are studied.•Monthly, seasonal, and annual wind and wave climate are analyzed and discussed.•Seasonality in wind power is evident, while spatial fluctuating in the study area.•The potential of wave energy resources in the Shenzhen coastal zone is limited.