Wave Energy Test Project to Be Built Off the Southwest Coast of England

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). The South West of England Regional Development Agency (Exeter, England) has tagged four companies from Australia, England, Norway and the United States to help develop a pilot project to prove the reliability and economics of wave energy. A 20-megawatt (MW) site is to be built off the southwest coast of England by four companies each using a different wave technology to produce 5 MW.

Westwave, a joint venture of E.ON UK (Coventry, England) and Ocean Prospect, Limited (Bristol, England), is planning to utilize Ocean Power Delivery, Limited’s (OPD) (Edinburgh, Scotland) technology. The OPD unit called Pelamis is a semi-submerged structure with cylindrical sections linked by hinged joints. The wave-induced motion of these piston-like devices will pump high-pressure oil through hydraulic motors driving electrical generators to produce electricity. The full-scale model prototype is 120 meters long and 3.5 meters in diameter and is made up of three power conversion modules, each rated at 250 kW for a total capacity of 750 kW.

Fred Olsen, Limited (Oslo, Norway) is planning on utilizing a unique multiple point-absorber system they have developed for energy extraction from the waves. A number of floating buoys attached to a light and stable floating platform manufactured in composites converts the wave energy to electricity. Each of their wave energy conversion devices should produce about 2.52 MW.

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) (Pennington, New Jersey) plans on utilizing their “PowerBuoy.” The “PowerBuoy” is an offshore wave energy converter, most of which is submerged below the water's surface. Inside, a piston-like structure drives the electrical generators as the “PowerBuoy” bobs with the rise and fall of the waves. An OPT "power plant" will consist of an array of identical “PowerBuoys” that are electrically connected to provide the desired power capacity. OPT's "smart" “PowerBuoy” utilizes computer-based, proprietary technology that includes: patented electronic systems for control and power conversion; patented wave energy conversion and transfer systems; unique generating systems that function effectively at low and variable speeds; and a modular construction process. Each may be built to provide up to 3 MW.

The fourth company providing wave technology is Oceanlinx, Limited (formerly EnergeTech) (Randwick, Australia). Oceanlinx will utilize a Denniss-Auld turbine.

Most turbines are designed to function with the median flowing in one direction at constant velocity and the blades designed to take advantage of the optimal force. The Denniss-Auld turbine uses a different method - variable pitch blades which, with the slower rotational speed and higher torque of the turbine, improves efficiency and reliability and reduces the need for maintenance. The turbine uses a sensor system to send a voltage signal proportional to the pressure which identifies the height, duration and shape of each wave. The system will be calibrated to prevent small-scale “noise” from activating it thus improving performance. Each unit will be able to generate enough energy to provide 1.5 MW of power, or enough electricity to supply about 1,500 homes.

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