Wave energy sites around Scotland, are considered one of the most energetic waters, as they are exposed to the Atlantic Ocean. The amount of energy reaching the shoreline provides an opportunity for wave energy deployments.

Currently, considerations on wave devices expect them to be installed at nearshore locations. That means that the potential wave resource has to be investigated, since deep to shallow water interactions alter the shape of propagated waves. Resource assessment for these regions is essential in order to estimate the available and extractable energy resource. Although several numerical models exist for wave modelling, not all are suitable for nearshore applications.

For the present work, the nearshore wave model SWAN has been used to simulate waves for the Hebridean region. The set-up, calibration and validation of the model are discussed. The resulting wave conditions are compared with buoy measurements. Results indicate that the modelling technique performed well.