Danish Wavestar is a wave energy device that converts the rising and falling movement of the floats to produce electricity.
Wavestar A/S, the company behind Wavestar wave energy device, aims to develop a commercial wave energy device that would have the capacity of 600 kW, and would consist of 20 floats, each 5 m in diameter. The device would weigh 1600 t.
The Wavestar device draws energy from wave power with floats that rise and fall with the up and down motion of waves.
The floats are attached by arms to a platform that stands on legs secured to the sea floor.
The motion of the floats is transferred via hydraulics into the rotation of a generator, producing electricity.
The company has installed the test section of the 600 kW machine at Hanstholm, Denmark in 2009. The prototype was made up of 2 floats, and its capacity was 110 KW.
A bridge was built to access the machine, and the device was connected to the grid in February, 2010.
In 2013, Wavestar device was moved to the harbor of Hanstholm in order to expand the device and implement new digital hydraulic system to increase the device’s efficiency, and to add two more floats.
Late in 2014, the company announced that it is testing the new PTO (power take-off) system at Aalborg University, which is expected to increase the efficiency of Wavestar wave energy device.
Take a look at the video of Wavestar prototype device in operation.
Image: Wavestar