Marine Power Systems (MPS), a Swansea-based wave energy developer, has received £200,000 from Innovate UK to develop next-generation WaveSub wave energy device.
The 12-month project to deliver the modelling, design, build, test and validation of MPS’ next-generation WaveSub, which formally began this month, will run in partnership with the University of Bath, MPS informed.
The project will allow MPS to assess the feasibility of a next-generation WaveSub device with the aim of multi-megawatt output, and to determine further reductions in levelized cost of energy (LCOE) through reduced capital and maintenance costs per megawatt.
MPS said that assessments will be made from computational simulation, tank testing and LCOE modelling, and the results will be directly utilized in the design of the full scale WaveSub device.
Gareth Stockman , Co-founder and Managing Director of MPS, said: “Working together with our partners, the University of Bath and specialist subcontractors, MPS are embarking on a 12-month project to build, test and validate a next-generation WaveSub prototype. The next-generation device will unlock WaveSub’s long-term levelized cost of energy wave-to-wire efficiencies, to allow WaveSub to compete with conventional energy generation without subsidies, when fully commercialized.”
Andy Hillis , Senior Lecturer in mechanical engineering at the University of Bath, said: “The next-generation WaveSub device presents new challenges in terms of power-take-off system design and control. It also presents new opportunities to develop our fundamental understanding of the device behavior and how to maximize its efficiency.”
MPS is currently engaged in its quarter-scale WaveSub prototype project, expected to be deployed at FaBTest in Falmouth Bay later this year.