Carnegie Wave Energy’s collaborative project to develop a standardised, self-contained offshore electricity generator for the wave industry has moved a step closer last week when a tenth-scale WavePOD prototype moved to the Institute for Fluid Power Drives and Controls (IFAS) at Aachen University, Germany.
The WavePOD wave power offtake device is being developed by global drive and control manufacturer Bosch Rexroth as part of a collaboration including some of Europe’s leading wave energy developers, utilities and academic institutions including Carnegie’s 100% UK subsidiary, CETO Wave Energy UK. The project’s goal is to develop an industry-wide power take off that will generate electricity reliably and cost effectively at sea.
The laboratory testing at Aachen University’s world-class facility is designed to provide performance data on the WavePOD unit to allow Bosch Rexroth to develop and refine the prototype prior to in-ocean testing. In-ocean testing is initially planned for fellow wave developer, Aquamarine Power’s Oyster 800 device in Scotland and subsequently targeted for Carnegie Wave Power’s CETO technology at WaveHub in Cornwall.
The tenth scale prototype, which weighs ten tonnes and comprises a drive train, cylinder frame and power take off, has been manufactured in Middlesbrough and at Bosch Rexroth’s hydraulics centre at St Neots, Cambridgeshire, prior to being shipped to IFAS.
The WavePOD prototype development and testing programme receives funding support from the Scottish Government’s Marine Renewables Commercialisation Fund (MRCF). The collaboration brings together with European industrials Bosch Rexroth and Irish utility ESB, along with Aquamarine Power, Carnegie’s UK subsidiary, CWE UK, Albatern and Manchester University spin-off M4M. ESB is also developing the European-funded Westwave wave project off the west coast of Ireland.
Press Release, September 23, 2014