Energy Flow Modelling of Co-Located Wave Energy and Offshore Aquaculture Platforms Using System Dynamics

Abstract This study investigates the performance and reliability of a Multi-Purpose Offshore Platform (MPOP) system integrating a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) farm and an offshore aquaculture farm. A coupled numerical approach, combining OrcaFlex and SNL-SWAN, was adopted to simulate wave-WEC interactions and wave propagation over large downstream areas. The study highlights the influence of WEC arrangements and wave directions on energy production. The energy requirements of the aquaculture system were modelled under Australian environmental conditions. System reliability was evaluated using failure rate data and scenario simulations via the system dynamics (SD) model. Results show that minor and major failures minimally affect system availability, while critical failures can lead to significant power shortfalls. In an extreme scenario, where all WECs fail, the aquaculture farm would require over 400 MWh of external energy support. This research provides insights into optimizing MPOP configurations and highlights the importance of incorporating reliability and failure scenarios to ensure continuous energy and food production in offshore environments.