Wave energy converter farm feasibility assessment in southwest baja california, mexico

This study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of implementing a wave energy converter (WEC) farm on the southwest coast of Baja California, Mexico. The aim is to determine the theoretical installed capacity and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for a WEC farm, unlike most previous efforts that were limited to a single device. The availability of wave energy has been assessed using 40 years of wave data. The electrical power generation potential of the Archimedes Wave Swing and Wave Dragon devices was estimated using their power matrices. For the calculation of levelized cost of energy, the capital expenditure includes equity, debt, taxes, and the present value of the power generation over the project’s lifespan. The results indicate that the Archimedes Wave Swing farms offer the most favourable pricing for end users, despite the Wave Dragon farms having a larger installed capacity. A sensitivity analysis was conducted for five variables, which revealed that site selection has the greatest impact on LCOE.