Wave Energy Distribution at Jeju Sea and Investigation of Optimal Sites for Wave Power Generation

Wave power distribution is investigated to determine the optimal sites for wave power generation at Jeju sea which has the highest wave energy density in the Korean coastal waters. The spatial and seasonal variation of wave power per unit length is calculated in the Jeju sea area based on the monthly mean wave data from 1979 to 2002 which is produced by the SWAN wave model simulation in prior research. The selected favorable locations for wave power generation are compared in terms of magnitude of wave energy density and distribution characteristics of wave parameters. The results suggest that Chagui-Do is the most optimal site for wave power generation in the Jeju sea. The seasonal distribution of wave energy density reveals that the highest wave energy density occurs in the northwest sea in the winter and it is dominated by wind waves, while the second highest one happens at south sea in the summer and it is dominated by a swell sea. The annual average of wave energy density shows that it gradually increases from east to west of the Jeju sea. At Chagui-Do, the energy density of the sea swell sea is relatively uniform while the energy density of the wind waves is variable and strong in the winter.