The Scottish wave power quango is offering £47,000 in cash plus 100% of costs to developers who can successfully make complete control systems suitable for use with a variety of wave energy converters.
It hopes to attract ‘cross-over’ ideas and innovation from established technology in a range of industrial sectors, such as engineering, automotive, and subsea.
Such advanced control systems have the potential to play a vital role in the delivery of cost-effective wave energy generation technology.
Any such control system for a wave energy converter should increase its energy capture capacity, detect and protect it from storms, whilst also reducing costs.
A spokesman for Wave Energy Scotland said: “This call will draw power take-off, novel wave energy converters and materials projects together and start the integration process to create devices that will be ready for testing at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney in the future.
“There is every possibility that suitable systems already exist in other sectors, and we would like to encourage applications from these technology developers.
“We have every expectation that this experience and knowledge already exists in Scotland. This approach gives Scotland the best chance to find a resolution to the challenges which have been present in the wave energy industry.”
The deadline for applications is 11 June 2017.
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