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Project Lead
Wave Energy Scotland Ltd
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Author
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult
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Date
June 2017
The wave Energy sector is an emerging and dynamic industry where numerous opportunities exist for novel applications of existing technologies and processes from other sectors. To achieve breakthroughs in affordability, wave energy conversion systems (WECS) must first secure survivability, high availability, a low capital and operational cost base and high performance. Drawing upon established or innovative technologies from other sectors offers the opportunity to accelerate progress.
Benchmarking of the existing wave energy sector has revealed a number of sub-system technology areas with large potential for improvement including: the control system, the WEC structure, the power-take-off (PTO) and the foundations and/or moorings.
An assessment has been carried out of the technological challenges facing the wave energy sector and of the cross-sector potential for technology transfer. Technology transfer may relate to fundamental physical principles, to knowledge or know-how, to adaptation of existing technology or to direct use of existing technology. As a result, a number of possibilities that could create substantial opportunities for the wave energy sector have been identified including adaptable structures technologies for survivability; structural design optimisation technologies; and powertrain technologies.
This project was lead by Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult with partners Energy Technologies Institute, Black & Veatch Ltd, Ricardo-AEA, CETO Wave Energy UK Ltd, Qinetiq Ltd
Project Keywords: Fabrication, Control, Energy Storage, Magnet, Polymer, Landscaping, Operations & Maintenance, Moorings, Reliability, PTO