Francisco Nunez-Ramirez
The Dominican Republic’s electricity system remains structurally exposed to fossil fuel import dependence and price volatility, underscoring the need for diversified, predictable renewable resources. This paper presents a quantitative resource assessment and conceptual development framework for marine current energy exploitation in the Mona Channel, a hydrodynamically active corridor between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Oceanographic measurements indicate peak current velocities up to 1.54 m/s within 200–350 m depth zones suitable for seabed-mounted turbine deployment. Using the kinetic power density formulation and conservative operational assumptions, a 30 MW pilot marine energy park consisting of thirty 1 MW horizontal-axis turbines is proposed as Phase I deployment. Assuming a 42% capacity factor, estimated annual generation reaches approximately 110 GWh, representing a stable, dispatchable-profile renewable contribution to the Dominican National Interconnected Electric System (SENI). Conceptual array spacing, subsea collection infrastructure, and staged grid integration pathways are defined in accordance with international marine energy deployment benchmarks. Beyond technical feasibility, the study frames marine current energy as a strategic resilience asset for island power systems. Unlike intermittent solar and wind resources, marine currents offer high predictability and seasonal complementarity, enhancing adequacy and reducing thermal dispatch requirements. A phased deployment strategy is recommended to enable environmental validation, regulatory development, and performance verification prior to large-scale expansion. The findings position the Mona Channel as a scalable blue-economy energy resource capable of strengthening long-term energy security, decarbonization efforts, and infrastructure resilience in the Caribbean region.