Initial estimate of kinetic energy of tidal currents in the province of Chubut, Argentina

Abstract

This work is a preliminary study to find some sites for the potential use of tidal stream energy and their associated currents in the Chubut coast. In addition, an evaluation of the energy resource of the Chubut Gulfs is made. Among other possible technical solutions, in this work the exploitation of tidal energy is based on the use of hydrokinetic turbines, which transform the stream translational kinetic energy into rotational kinetic energy available to feed an electrical generator. The energy can be extracted analogously to that of wind energy; therefore, it is not necessary to build a dam, avoiding the environmental and economic disadvantages it represents. The total annual theoretically exploitable kinetic energy of the whole cross section at San José Gulf was estimated as 1,006 GWh/year, but assuming a device conversion efficiency of about 45%, this lowered to 453 GWh/year. Considering also some practical limitations due to the installation of multiple devices in a hypothetical farm layout, the annual available energy production for three turbines rows in the inlet of San José Gulf was 61 GWh/year. Such results were based on a preliminary analysis using a relatively small amount of data, which can give an initial estimate of the expected available resource in the area of interest. Future experimental investigations may improve the accuracy of the resource evaluation. Lower tidal kinetic energy was found in the Nuevo Gulf and at the Chubut River mouth, thus, a system to increase the flow should be considered.