Analyzing Wave Energy Dissipation Efficiency of Oyster Farm Structures: Implications for Coastal Protection and Electricity Generation

Abstract

Thailand’s coastal areas along both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea are significantly impacted by coastal erosion, which affects economic activities such as tourism and coastal fisheries. Although Thailand has developed renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind, and solar, wave energy remains largely underutilized due to relatively high costs and uncertainty about its potential across different regions. Given the dual challenges of coastal erosion and the underuse of wave energy, there is increasing interest in integrated solutions that address both issues simultaneously. This study focuses on reducing wave energy and mitigating coastal erosion by using oyster farm poles as wave energy dissipating structures. Four pole arrangements were tested: a rectangle, two trapezoidal patterns (with either the longer or shorter parallel side facing the waves), and a diamond shape. These were categorized into two groups based on void ratio. The results indicate that the rectangular and diamond shapes are most effective under deep wave conditions, while both trapezoidal arrangements perform best under transitional waves. In terms of the relationship between wave energy loss and electricity generation, at a still water level of 0.45 meters, electricity output ranged from 4.7 to 6.6 W/m with an average wave energy loss of approximately 2%. At 0.40 meters, electricity output ranged from 4.6 to 7.2 W/m with an average energy loss of approximately 2.5%.