Optimizing Wave Energy Integration in Panama’s Hybrid Microgrid: A Feasibility Study Using the Dragonfly Algorithm

Abstract

This paper presents a wave energy resource assessment and preliminary modeling framework for a generic point absorber Wave Energy Converter along the Pacific coast of Panama, with a comparative analysis of two sites: Punta Mala and Panama Bay, located approximately 9.4 km from the University of Panama and Hospital Santo Tomás complex. Wave parameters were obtained from the ERA5 reanalysis dataset, including significant wave height, mean wave period, and mean wave direction. A site comparison reveals that Punta Mala exhibits a higher wave power density than Panama Bay, while Panama Bay offers closer proximity to the target load center. A generic point absorber array selected for Panama Bay and integrated as a fifth source in a hybrid microgrid alongside solar PV, a wind farm, a lithium-ion BESS, and a diesel backup generator. The Dragonfly Algorithm, implemented in MATLAB with 40 search agents and 200 iterations, minimizes total operational cost over both a 24-hour and a full 8,760-hour annual horizon. Annual simulation results yield a renewable fraction of approximately 50.5%, with wave energy contributing 12.8% of total generation as a stable baseload source. The framework establishes a replicable methodology for marine renewable integration into critical-infrastructure microgrids in developing economies.