The 2011 Shortlist - Marine

SEARASER
Dartmouth Wave Energy, Exeter University
Wave power is often talked about as the one truly dependable renewable energy source that the UK has in abundance. Tidal turbines are progressing but are still expensive and potentially difficult to maintain.

The SEARASER is a simple vertical pump that moves up and down with the crest and troughs of waves in open sea, near to the coastline.

It pumps water to a high head-holding tank or purpose-built reservoir on shore (anything up to 100m above sea level), then sends it back down to the sea driving turbines, thus enabling on-demand hydro energy in the form of stored water. The SEARASER was invented in 2006 by Alvin Smith and was subsequently patented. A prototype was demonstrated for one month in the open sea by Dartmouth Wave Energy (DWE) in 2009.

Having proven the concept, DWE needed to expand and execute the SEARASER concept through a recognisable institution – Exeter University.