Title: Kinetic energy extraction from flows with significant density profiles: the case of the Gulf of California, Mexico Researcher: Carlos Joel Mejia Olivares Supervisors: AbuBakr Bahaj and Luke Blunden
Abstract
In recent times the demand for electricity has increased considerably throughout the world especially in newly industrialised countries where the economic activity is directly related to energy consumption. In Mexico, one of the most remarkable concerns is about the appropriate use of the renewable energy in order to generate electricity, while at the same time protecting the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to the mitigation of climate change. Consequently, there has been significant effort put into evaluating these unexploited resources.
The Gulf of California represents one of the sites with appreciable potential for marine energy. However, the site presents a number of unique challenges, for example the presence of significant density profiles in the water column. As a result, the Mexican Government is Sponsoring the project entitled “Kinetic energy extraction from flows with significant density profiles: the case of the Gulf of California, Mexico” through the financial support to the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia CONACyT.
The main aim of this project is to evaluate tidal current energy resources and the impacts of energy extraction at sites in the Gulf of California, Mexico.
Figures
Possible sites for kinetic energy extraction from tidal currents on the west coast of Mexico (highlighted in yellow).