Wave energy potential along the Indian coast: A comprehensive review

Wave energy is rapidly emerging as a promising and innovative solution among the various renewable energy sources. Given India's extensive coastline, including islands, research on wave energy is essential to harness this resource effectively and contribute to a sustainable energy future. To accelerate research and technological development, a comprehensive review of wave energy potential along the Indian coast is immediately needed. This includes understanding the consistency and variation of wave energy along the Indian coastline, identifying potential sites, and evaluating suitable technologies for exploitation; these aspects are addressed in the present review paper. Studies reveal that among different seasons, the highest wave energy along the Indian coastline is typically available during the southwest monsoon. Additionally, when comparing the west coast and east coast of India, the Arabian Sea offers superior opportunities (annual mean wave power of 19.5 GW) compared to the Bay of Bengal (8.7 GW). Among the islands, the Lakshadweep islands demonstrated a yearly mean wave energy ranging from 10 to 15 kW/m, while in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, wave power increases southwards, peaking in Little Andaman and Nicobar. Further, the studies identified the region near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu as one of the significant potential areas for wave energy exploitation. To exploit this energy, there are numerous types of wave energy converters (WECs)/technologies available in the market, and among them, Oscillating Water Columns (OWC), WaveStar, Wave Dragons, and Pontoons seem to be tailored to Indian conditions. Overall, India experiences low wave energy outside the southwest monsoon season, necessitating further research into hybrid wave energy converters suitable for these conditions.