Havkraft’s floating offshore wave power plant is now fully operational as it started producing its first power yesterday, the Norwegian developer reported on its social media pages.
Over the last two years, Kvernevik Engineering AS has been working with Geir Arne Solheim, the founder of Havkraft AS and the man who came up with the idea to convert this fishing vessel into a power plant. Now, the first vessel of its kind is harnessing wave energy.
The makers have installed four large chambers in the vessel’s bow. As the waves strike the vessel, the water level in the chambers rises. This creates an increase in air pressure which in turn drives four turbines – one for each chamber.
Their next step would be to install hydrogen production plant onboard the vessel so that the electricity generated can be stored in the form of hydrogen gas.
Image: Havkraft