Scientists from Lomonosov MSU creating a web-atlas of wind and wave energy

The renewable energy is not only a fashion trend but also a way to save depleting hydrocarbon resources, as well as the opportunity to minimize the environmental damage caused by mining and burning of fuel. There are active scientific research, experimental design work, as well as the large construction of wind, solar and bioenergy stations conducted all over the world. However, renewable energy sources (RES) due to their variability in the space and time cannot provide an alternative to traditional sources of the energy (hydrocarbon fuel, hydropower and nuclear energy) because of the cost and inability to satisfy requests of the consumers in each moment of time.

One of the methods for overcoming RES deficiencies is the hybrid (joint) use of the several renewable energy sources. Such multiplicity makes possible to achieve a stable supply of electricity. Solar, wind and wave energy could be used together in the coastal zone of the seas and oceans. Russia is washed by thirteen seas, and the length of its coastline is about 40 thousand km, so for our country, it may be relevant to use the potential of these RES.

The distribution of solar energy on the planet is already well known: first, the flow of solar energy depends on the geographical latitude of the terrain and the cloud regime. Estimates of the available wind and wave energy are still approximate. It is necessary to know not only the mean values of the wave height or the wind energy flux but also the maximum values, the energy flux distribution over time, the duration of the calm periods and other parameters for the design of hybrid power stations (using wind, wave and sun energy).

Scientists from Faculty of Geography of the Lomonosov Moscow State University are ready to fill this gap and started creating a web-atlas of available wind and wave energy for the coastal zone of the Russian seas. The basis of the atlas is unique data on the energy potential of wind and waves, calculated by using numerical modeling techniques. The new GIS server is already working where maps of the spatial distribution of the wave and wind energy, mean values, repeatability and other statistical characteristics will be placed later. This web-atlas will provide visualization the results of modeling and calculations of the available waves and wind energy in the coastal zone of the Black, Azov, Caspian, Baltic, White, Barents, Kara and Okhotsk seas.

One of the important results of the project is the open access publication of the unique data on the wind and wave energy. Thus, the publication will contribute to the development of renewable energy in Russia.

The first results of the project will be published in 2018. The latest news about the progress of the project is available at https://www.researchgate.net/project/Web-atlas-of-wind-and-wave-available-energy-in-the-coastal-zones-of-the-Russian-Seas .