A new wave energy converter, developed by Scotland’s AWS Ocean Energy, has arrived in Orkney to be deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).
The 16kW Archimedes Waveswing arrived at Hatston Pier, Kirkwall before being transported by ferry to Copland’s Dock in Stromness, UK, where it will be readied for deployment and testing at EMEC’s Scapa Flow test site.
EMEC is a facility for demonstrating and testing wave and tidal energy converters and is based in the Orkney Islands, the small archipelago off of Scotland’s coast.
The £3.4 million ($4.6 million) prototype project has been funded by Wave Energy Scotland (WES) as part of the Novel Wave Energy Converter development programme.
Simon Grey, CEO of AWS Ocean Energy, said: “The whole team at AWS is looking forward to getting our at-sea testing programme underway at EMEC.
“Our current Waveswing design focuses on remote power applications such as powering subsea oilfield assets and oceanographic monitoring, however, the device is suitable for integration into submerged platforms and can be scaled to over 500 kW per unit. AWS expect to develop platforms hosting up to 20 units with a potential capacity of 10MW per platform.
“The exciting thing about Waveswing is that it’s genuinely scalable and practical to integrate into a multi-absorber platform. Achieving power outputs comparable with offshore wind units is critical to driving down the cost of energy and ensuring that operation and maintenance is practicable in the hostile marine environment.”
The energy converter weighs 50 tons, is seven metres high, and has a diameter of four metres.
According to AWS, the Archimedes Waveswing is moored to the seabed on a single tension tether when deployed and sits below the surface of the sea, reacting to changes in pressure caused by passing waves.
The Waveswing is designed to operate in rough sea conditions, as well as to react to long ocean swell waves as well as short, wind-driven seas, for high energy capture.
