The potential of novel energy conversion technologies for development of the wave energy sector

While offering several potential benefits to our energy system, wave energy is unexploited as a commercial-scale energy source in the UK. To allow wave energy to contribute to our energy mix, significant LCOE reductions and reliability improvements must be achieved to increase its commercial attractiveness. Incremental improvements in these areas can be achieved through large scale deployment of first-generation technology (economies of scale, O&M improvement, sector experience), however this may not be the most cost-effective strategy for the sector. Supporting the development of less mature novel technologies could offer a long term more economically efficient way of achieving these performance improvements.

The project investigates if novel energy conversion technologies (Electro active polymers, Triboelectrics etc) are one of the options that could offer a potential step-change cost reduction in the wave energy sector. This is supplemented by an analysis of how innovation is affected by different development and deployment policy in renewable energy. These research areas will be brought together to form policy recommendations for the development of novel conversion technologies, and policy direction more widely in the wave energy sector.

Paul Kerr is a 2nd year PhD student in the University of Edinburgh’s Policy and Innovation Group. The project is joint funded by Wave Energy Scotland, University of Edinburgh and Energy Technology Partnership.

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Project Keywords: Funding, Guidance, Lessons Learnt, Planning, PTO