Wave-induced flicker level emitted by a tidal farm

The inherently fluctuating nature of sea waves can be reflected to a significant extent in the power output of tidal turbines. However, these fluctuations can give rise to power quality issues such as flicker. Hence, it is important to assess the impact which tidal farms may have on their local network before such power plants are allowed to connect to the grid. This paper describes the influence of the wave climate on the short-term flicker level induced by a tidal farm on the point of common coupling. It analyses also under which conditions the tidal farm breaches the grid code requirements in terms of short-term flicker level.