Carnegie Wave, an Australian wave energy developer, has completed the conceptual design phase of its CETO 6 project.
According to Carnegie, this CETO 6 design delivers a number of advantages over previous CETO generations including an approximate four times increase in rated capacity to 1 MW, the removal of heavy offshore lifts and associated heavy lift vessels, simplified installation and maintenance, and more advanced control systems.
The power take-off (PTO) system is located in a pod inside the buoyant actuator, what, Carnegie states, allows for more advanced control, increasing the system’s efficiency.
The use of an electrical export cable to deliver the power onshore also reduces transmission losses when compared to the use of a pipeline with high pressure fluid as used in the Perth Wave Energy Project’s CETO 5 technology generation.
The incorporation of the power generation equipment offshore is expected to increase the market for CETO as it can take advantage of deeper, more distant to shore wave resources and sites.
The concept design phase covered a wide range of disciplines and project work package areas including hydrodynamic modelling, wave tank testing, electrical topology, offshore site studies, grid connection, instrumentation and controls, power take off architecture, installation and maintenance philosophies and tether and mooring options.
The geophysical survey results, along with the concept design results, feed directly into the detailed design of the CETO 6 project, which is targeted for completion in mid 2016.
The CETO 6 concept design incorporates lessons learnt from the Perth Wave Energy Project and recent wave tank testing at FloWave in Edinburgh that confirmed the targeted 1 MW nominal unit capacity was achievable, as well as internal design and modelling studies and design work undertaken with Carnegie’s supply chain.
Image: Carnegie Wave Energy