Assessment and Spatialization of the Potential of Marine Renewable Energies in the Gulf of Guinea: Case of the Cameroonian Coast

This study explores, through mathematical simulation and Geographic Information Systems, the electricity production potential of Marine Renewable Energies (MRE) on the Cameroonian coast. The study uses data from the National Institute of Cartography and, in the absence of in situ oceanographic observation, data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and those of Copernicus Marine Services, to determine and identify, after calculations on Excel and spatial representation on ArcGIS 10.2.2, areas with high MRE potential. The analyses carried out show that the Cameroonian coastline is full of significant potential for the development of MRE. Indeed, with a potential of approximately 6 kW at sea and approximately 1 kW on the coast, current energy constitutes a capitalizable opportunity. Concerning wave energy, the average production potential of the Cameroonian marine area is approximately 3.37 kW/m. However, it is much higher on the Kribi coast (between 4 and 7 kW/m). Furthermore, significant potential for tidal energy can be identified in the Wouri estuary, as well as in other sectors such as marine thermal energy and osmotic energy, although this requires further analysis to be better understood. These results would help promote research on these energies in Cameroon.