THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF OCEAN TIDES IN DIGUL, MERAUKE, FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY UTILIZATION

• Main Author: Sekaringtias, Annisa
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik (Rekayasa, enjinering dan kegiatan berkaitan)
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/44736
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Energy issues have always been major concern in the modern world. In Indonesia, the imbalance between energy demand and reserves, urges further look in developing new energy resources. Merauke’s Digul River has been known to have noticeably high tidal range, which might be the excellent potential of tides energy. However, real life environment often behave so complex that numerical modeling is needed. Delft-3D provides the ability of hydrodynamic simulation program yet since it has not been commonly-used in Ocean Engineering Program, the software required prior benchmark to previously tested-case. This study covers a case of model benchmark, model of the study case (Digul, Merauke), power analysis that could be harnessed, and the financial analysis of the project. Cover the area around Malaka, Natuna, Sunda Strait and Java, the model is set as a benchmark of an existing model generated with Surface Modeling System (SMS) software. The Delft-3D model has satisfactory error values, thus the model benchmark can be considered successful. Proceed to run the study case can be done since the reliability of the software has been proven. The model location includes the estuary of Digul, Merauke. The model also has acceptable error value; therefore further exploration in the model can be done. Despite its great tidal range, Digul actually have very inadequate current speed for turbine-generated power. To proceed and find out the potential power, few adjustments are made. Case A has weirs in both sides of planned turbine location, so as Case B but with additional external channel. Both cases have proven successful in increasing the current. Each cases has two selected possible turbine farm configurations, with the minimum number of placed-turbines are 250 (Case A – Configuration (i)) and 77 (Case B – Configuration (ii)) and the maximum are 500 (Case A – Configuration (ii)) and 3,076 (Case B – Configuration (ii)). Each case and configuration generates varied power each year, however due to its intermittent behavior, not all the power could be sold. Final capacities of each configuration then being defined as follow: 272.5 kW (Case A – Configuration (i)), 545 kW (Case A – Configuration (ii)), 56.98 kW (Case B – Configuration (i)) and 2,276 kW (Case B – Configuration (ii)). Compared to the electricity shortage in Merauke, both configurations in Case A could accommodate the needs in 2015, however by 2035, both configurations are considerably insignificant. Case B has excessive capacity in 2015 but fit the shortage in 2035. The financial study shows a diversified range of suitable selling prices. These prices are approximately 10 times the current electricity tariff (except for Case B – Configuration (i)). Adjustments that have been made with additional structures may have generated substantial amount of electricity. However, due to the expensive selling prices, in order to be implemented the project would need the government’s subsidies. Further environmental and social issue would also need to take place.