Waves4Power

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Waves4Power is a Swedish-based developer of buoy-based Offshore Wave Energy Converter (OWEC) systems. [1] Ongoing research and development is done in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology. [2] A partnership with Dutch engineering specialist BnD-Engineering in 2021 aimed to commercialize and deploy the system on a global scale. [3]

The device is a floating buoy with a long vertical tube containing a "water piston"; this is out-of-phase with the passing waves allowing power to be generated. [4]

A demonstration plant was installed in February 2016 at the Runde Environmental Centre in Norway. [5] This was connected via sub-sea cable to the shore based power grid. [6] [7] It was the first grid connected wave energy project in Norway, on 2 June 2017 and rated at 100 kW. [5]

In November 2017, testing of the WaveEl 3.0 was halted a month early due to damage to the anchor. [8] This device went through 12,000 hours (almost 1½ years) of survivability demonstration, providing power into the Norwegian electricity grid for around 4,000 hours. [9] The buoy was 3.0 metres (9.8 ft) in diameter. [4]

In 2018, ongoing long-term grid-connected testing of a 100 kW Wave-EL prototype at Runde was reported. [10]

In 2020, the company received a grant from the EU funded Interreg Ocean DEMO project, enabling it to access the grid-connected test berths at EMEC for three years. [9] The plan was to have six WaveEL devices connected via a hub, and have the device certified by a classification society. [11] However, as of September 2024 these tests have not happene

In 2022, Waves4Power signed a memorandum of understanding with PLN Indonesia Power to develop wave energy parks. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wave power</span> Transport of energy by wind waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work

Wave power is the capture of energy of wind waves to do useful work – for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or pumping water. A machine that exploits wave power is a wave energy converter (WEC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelamis Wave Energy Converter</span>

The Pelamis Wave Energy Converter was a technology that used the motion of ocean surface waves to create electricity. The machine was made up of connected sections which flex and bend as waves pass; it is this motion which is used to generate electricity.

An OE Buoy or Ocean Energy Buoy is a floating wave power device that uses an Oscillating Water Column design. It is being developed by Irish company Ocean Energy Ltd., based in Cork, in collaboration with the Hydraulics and Maritime Research Centre at University College Cork, Queen's University Belfast, and Marine Institute Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CETO</span> Submerged wave power technology

CETO is a wave-energy technology that converts kinetic energy from ocean swell into electrical power and directly desalinates freshwater through reverse osmosis. The technology was developed and tested onshore and offshore in Fremantle, Western Australia. In early 2015 a CETO 5 production installation was commissioned and connected to the grid. As of January 2016 all the electricity generated is being purchased to contribute towards the power requirements of HMAS Stirling naval base at Garden Island, Western Australia. Some of the energy will also be used directly to desalinate water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European Marine Energy Centre</span>

The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Ltd. is a UKAS accredited test and research centre focused on wave and tidal power development, based in the Orkney Islands, UK. The centre provides developers with the opportunity to test full-scale grid-connected prototype devices in wave and tidal conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floating wind turbine</span> Type of wind turbine

A floating wind turbine is an offshore wind turbine mounted on a floating structure that allows the turbine to generate electricity in water depths where fixed-foundation turbines are not feasible. Floating wind farms have the potential to significantly increase the sea area available for offshore wind farms, especially in countries with limited shallow waters, such as Spain, Portugal, Japan, France and the United States' West Coast. Locating wind farms further offshore can also reduce visual pollution, provide better accommodation for fishing and shipping lanes, and reach stronger and more consistent winds.

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) is a U.S. publicly owned renewable energy company, providing electric power and communications solutions, services and related for remote offshore applications. The company's PowerBuoy wave energy conversion technology is theoretically scalable to hundreds of megawatts and the generated energy from wave power can be supplied to the grid via submarine cables. Several projects were undertaken around the world, but the economic viability of the theoretical concept has been problematic.

The Oyster was a hydro-electric wave energy device that used the motion of ocean waves to generate electricity. It was made up of a Power Connector Frame (PCF), which is bolted to the seabed, and a Power Capture Unit (PCU). The PCU is a hinged buoyant flap that moves back and forth with movement of the waves. The movement of the flap drives two hydraulic pistons that feed high-pressured water to an onshore hydro-electric turbine, which drives a generator to make electricity. Oyster was stationed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) at its Billia Croo site in Orkney, Scotland until the company ceased trading in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine energy</span> Energy available from oceans

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidal stream generator</span> Type of tidal power generation technology

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Sotenäs is a wave farm located in Kungshamn, in the municipality of Sotenäs, Sweden. The facility consists of 36 wave energy converters (WECs), with a total installed capacity of nearly 1 MW. Each WEC generates power using point absorber buoys connected to linear generators on the seabed. The generators are located at a depth of 50 m (160 ft). According to Seabased, the technology used in the project could deliver electricity for under 10 cents per kWh. Initial announcements stated that the power plant would eventually expand to around 10 MW capacity, but in 2017 Seabased announced it would no longer expand the plant beyond the 36 WECs already in place. The Sotenäs wave park was not in operation between 2016-2020, with no buoys connected to the gravity-based PTOs. The site remains inactive, and is studied as an example of an artificial reef.

Mocean EnergyLtd. is a wave energy technology developer, based in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. They are developing a hinged-raft attenuator wave energy converter (WEC) at various scales for different markets.

Many tidal stream generators have been developed over the years to harness the power of tidal currents flowing around coastlines. These are also called tidal stream turbines (TST), tidal energy converters (TEC), or marine hydro-kinetic (MHK) generation. These turbines operate on a similar principle to wind turbines, but are designed to work in a fluid approximately 800 times more dense than air which is moving at a slower velocity. Note that tidal barrages or lagoons operate on a different principle, generating power by impounding the rising and falling tide.

CorPower Ocean AB is a wave energy device developer, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. They also have offices in Oslo, Viana do Castelo, and Stromness. The office in Viana do Castelo is an R&D centre that also serves as the manufacturing and service centre for the wave energy converters (WEC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aguçadoura test site</span> Portuguese offshore renewable energy test site

The Aguçadoura test site is an offshore location in the north of Portugal where grid connected offshore renewable energy devices have been tested, for research and project demonstration. It is about 5 km (3 miles) off the coast of Aguçadoura, Póvoa de Varzim, about 35 km NNE of central Porto.

AWS Ocean Energy Ltd is a Scottish wave energy device developer, based in Dochfour near Inverness, Highland. The company has developed and tested several concepts, primarily the Archimedes Waveswing (AWS) after which the company is named.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wello Penguin</span> Wave power device

The Penguin is a wave energy converter (WEC) which was developed by Finnish company Wello Oy between 2008 and 2023. Two full-scale device were constructed, and tested in Scotland and Spain respectively, although both tests ended in difficulties.

Seabased is a developer of wave power technology, originally based in Sweden and now headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

References

  1. ↑ "Alternative Energy Company - Waves4Power AB | AltEnergyMag". www.altenergymag.com. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  2. ↑ Grolms, Martin (15 May 2019). "One Step Forward for Wave Power". Advanced Science News. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  3. ↑ "Waves4Power targets global markets with Bnd-Engineering partnership". Offshore Energy. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Waves4Power developments". Maritime Journal. 10 January 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  5. 1 2 Annual Report Overview Ocean Energy Activities in 2017 (Report). 15 May 2018. pp. 13, 129. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  6. ↑ Ollson, Maria. "Country Report: Sweden". Ocean Energy Systems. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  7. ↑ Tomasgard, Anne-Mari; Stige, Per Ove (1 September 2015). "Trur på gjennombrot for bølgekraft" [Hoping for a breakthrough for wave power]. Herønytt (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  8. ↑ "Waves4Power ends test early". ReNews. 24 November 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  9. 1 2 Ajdin, Adis (21 May 2020). "Waves4Power eyes EMEC setup in 2021". Offshore Energy. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  10. ↑ Annual Report Overview Ocean Energy Activities in 2018 (Report). Ocean Energy Systems. 18 October 2019. p. 106.
  11. ↑ "Renewable energy: Wave power works". Open Access Government. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  12. ↑ Garanovic, Amir (16 December 2022). "Waves4Power signs deal to develop wave energy parks offshore Indonesia". Offshore Energy. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
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