Preliminary Assessment of Wave Energy for Xisha Islands in the South China Sea

The exploitation of wave energy will benefit remote islands considering environmental, social, and economic aspects. Located more than 250 kilometres off the Hainan Island, Xisha Islands is an archipelago in the South China Sea (SCS) that is yet to be grid-connected. Previous studies suggested the SCS has vast and untapped wave energy. Here, high-resolution wave hindcast generated by a nesting SWAN model is used for the assessment of wave energy resource in Xisha Islands. The result of the spatial-temporal analysis highlights the seasonal variability in wave energy, as the mean wave power density ranging from 2 to 12 kW/m between summer and winter. Spatial variation of wave energy majorly caused by depth-induced wave breaking, and blockage effect of islands and reefs. Available wave conditions for the operation of WECs are also discussed, showing that wave energy can provide stable and sustainable energy to islands in Xisha.