CEFOW project has changed the deployment plans for Wello’s Penguin wave energy converter, choosing EMEC instead of Wave Hub as previously arranged.
The deployment of Penguin wave energy device, as part of the EU-backed CEFOW project, will take place in early 2017. However, the location of the testing activities has been shifted from the Cornish Wave Hub to the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney.
The reason behind the test location change, as Wello’s CEO, Heikki Paakkinen said, was the change in schedule which lead to the deployment in the demanding winter season, setting the requirements for fast connections that are available at EMEC.
Paakkinen said: “The CEFOW consortium applied for amendment to project including the change of site from Wave Hub to EMEC. This change was approved by EU last week, December 15. The deployment will take place in early 2017.”
Paakkinen added that Wave Hub will remain a member of the international CEFOW project consortium, while EMEC joins the project as the new member.
“Wello is not planning to leave Cornwall behind: there is another potential project opportunity that has been planned to be deployed in Wave Hub,” said Paakkinen.
The Chief Executive of the Finnish wave energy company also revealed that the construction of a new Penguin WEC will begin this winter as part of the project. Once built, the device will be deployed at EMEC in spring 2018, while the third device will be built for spring 2019, according to Paakkinen.
Aside from Wello, Wave Hub, and EMEC, the CEFOW project also includes Fortum as the project coordinator, Mojo Maritime, Green Marine UK, Uppsala University, Plymouth University, and the University of Exeter.
Clean Energy from Ocean Waves (CEFOW) project, scheduled to last for 5 years with the budget of €24.7 million, aims to demonstrate the viability of floating wave energy converters on a larger scale, and longer period of time, through the deployment of three 1MW Penguin wave energy devices.