A new wave-power converter has been launched by Sweden’s Corpower at the European Marine Energy Centre in the Orkney islands.
The 25kw device – launched by a local Stromness boat contractor – will undertake sea-tests for the next 12 weeks at the Scapa Flow wave-power machine nursery site.
The point absorber deployed on an EMEC-provided foundation is the forerunner of a full-scale, eight-metre diameter device with a rated capacity of up to 300kW.
The gravity-based foundation module includes a mooring system with tidal adjustment function and tensioning capacity of up to 60 tons.
The current program follows the prior testing of multiple prototypes in smaller scales in Portugal, France and Sweden.
The Orkney Stage 3 demonstration is also being supported by Edinburgh University, with €6.5 million invested by InnoEnergy – the Swedish Energy Agency- and another €4 million by the European Commission’s H2020 Wave Boost project.
Robert Argo, CorPower Marine Operations Manager, said: “We are pleased to have successfully completed this foundation install together with Leask Marine, who provided precise, reliable and safe offshore operations for this part of the project.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Orkney supply chain over the coming months during deployment and maintenance of our resonant C3 Wave Energy Converter.”
16 Jan 2018
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