Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-019-01711-2 ORIGINAL PAPER Tidal current energy potential assessment in the Avilés Port using a three‑dimensional CFD method Rodolfo Espina‑Valdés 1  · Eduardo Álvarez Álvarez 1  · Julio García‑Maribona 2  · Antonio José Gutiérrez Trashorras 1  · Juan M. González‑Caballín 1 Received: 3 November 2018 / Accepted: 27 May 2019 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract Tidal energy is considered as an energy resource of maximum interest in both technical and research felds due to its largely unexploited energy potential. The use of hydrokinetic microturbines is now an attractive option with reduced environmen- tal impact. The frst step to evaluate the feasibility of a hydrokinetic microturbines installation is to perform a study of the velocity feld characteristics and therefore the energy potential available. Up to now, diferent numerical models, of one, two and three spatial dimensions have been applied to evaluate the tidal potential in large areas. Due to the high computational resources needed, they include simplifcations, like avoiding a precise study of the velocity in the vertical dimension, result- ing in incomplete estimations of the available kinetic energy. To complete these estimations, the research presented sets out a methodology to evaluate the current efects, velocity profles and the energy potential derived from tide movements in an estuary or port by solving the full Navier–Stokes equations. It also considers the water–air interface in the numerical scheme. The methodology is based, frstly, on the defnition of a three-dimensional geometrical model of the geographical area of study, and then, the complete model is meshed with fnite volumes, where the full three-dimensional Unsteady Navier–Stokes equations are solved. The methodology was applied and validated with a three-dimensional water–air numerical model of the port of Avilés (Spain). In conclusion, water surface elevations, averaged speed cycles, velocity profles as a function of depth and tidal power and energy data have been obtained without the usual simplifcations, which will mean an evaluation more accurate when assessing the implementation of a power generation system. Graphic abstract Keywords Tidal energy · Computational fuid dynamics · Three-dimensional model · Averaged velocity · High resolution * Eduardo Álvarez Álvarez edualvarez@uniovi.es Extended author information available on the last page of the article