Wave energy resource characterization and the evaluation of potential Wave Farm sites

In theory, the energy that could be extracted from ocean waves is in excess of any current, or future, human requirements. Methods to evaluate and compare the wave energy resource at different locations are required in order to inform the developers of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) projects and allow them to select the most favorable sites for achieving optimal power capture and economic performance from their devices as the wave energy industry begins to approach the commercial deployment of Wave Farms, arrays of full-scale WECs.