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Plymouth launches new power source on the crest of a wave!

March 29, 2001

A team of European small companies and universities has been working together for the past 2 years to find a new way to harness the power of the waves. The team, which has been co-ordinated by PEP* at the University of Plymouth, has now launched an experimental Wave Energy Device in Plymouth.
The device, which is approximately 15ft in diameter and extends 40ft below the surface, is moored in the approaches to Plymouth Sound.

Work has been underway on the device since January 1999, and has attracted significant funding from the European Commission "CRAFT" scheme. CRAFT projects encourage small companies and universities from throughout Europe to work together to create problem-solving innovations. The University of Plymouth was the ideal choice to co-ordinate the project, due to its respected reputation as a centre of maritime expertise.

The idea of generating electricity from the sea is not itself original: how to harness wave power as a source of sustainable energy has long taxed researchers across the world. However, this device is based on a unique concept, invented and patented by a small British company, Embley Energy Ltd, who have commissioned the University to develop and test their theories. The device is based on the principle of multiple water columns which oscillate owing to the movement of the sea waves; the air displaced above the water in the columns drives an air turbine to generate power.

Whilst still at an early stage, research work to date indicates that the device will generate electricity more efficiently and in a greater quantity than in previous attempts. Unlike many other devices, this device is actually a free-floating buoy, which means that not only can it move with the waves to better withstand storm conditions, but there are also fewer limitations as to where it can be situated.

An immediate application for the technology would be to supply power to remote islands and offshore installations. Such communities currently rely on expensive traditional means of generating power, which consume valuable natural resources. Sea waves are a renewable resource, and wave energy technology can provide a clean, unobtrusive and cost-effective alternative. In the longer term, the power generated from this technology could serve coastal towns, contribute to regional power requirements, and ultimately supplement the National Grid with no pollutants or toxic residues.

Following the launch, it will now take the research team a further six months to test and evaluate the device. Special equipment will be mounted in the device to relay data back to the shore, enabling the team to continuously monitor its performance.

Further information can be obtained from Kate Bowling, Project Manager, PEP*. Tel: 01752 233700/fax: 01752 233711 or email: k.bowling@pep-research.co.uk

Plymouth, University of

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