Wave Energy Potential Assessment Along the Coast of Oman

The primary aim of this research is to assess the wave energy potential along the coast of Oman especially coasts facing Arabian Sea and Indian ocean by analyzing the wave energy distribution and time series of wave heights, obtained through numerical modeling over a three-years period. The study focuses on evaluating the spatial, seasonal, monthly, and directional variability of wave power and energy at multiple coastal locations. The spatial analysis reveals a clear trend of increasing wave power in the southeastern coast, toward the open Indian Ocean, where stronger wind conditions prevail. The monthly analysis indicates that mean wave power peaks during the summer months (June to August), coinciding with the southwest Indian monsoon season, which significantly enhances wave activity along the southern coastline. To simulate and analyze wave characteristics, wave data were obtained from the Global Ocean Waves Analysis and Forecast product provided by Copernicus Marine, which is based on the MFWAM (a third-generation wave model) developed by Météo-France. This dataset enabled the generation of high-resolution data on wave height, period, and direction, providing a comprehensive understanding of wave energy dynamics across the study area. Results indicate that the majority of the annual wave energy is contributed by significant wave heights ranging from 1 to 4 m, suggesting that waves in this range contribute most of the annual wave energy resource in the study area. These findings provide a characterization of the wave energy resource along the coast of Oman and identify the locations and seasons with relatively higher wave energy potential. The results can support future device-specific feasibility studies and technology selection for wave energy development in the region.