Aquamarine introduces Oyster 800 wave energy device
Aquamarine Power’s next-generation Oyster 800 wave energy device has been unveiled today at a ceremony in Scotland.
The 800kW device, which was revealed at Burntisland Fabrications’ yard at Methil, Fife, will now be transported by sea from the Firth of Forth to the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney for installation later this summer.
Aquamarine’s Oyster concept is a buoyant, hinged flap that is attached to the seabed approximately half a kilometre from the shore. Movement of the flap pushes high-pressure water to drive an onshore hydro-electric turbine.
The Oyster 800 operates in the same way as Oyster 1, but Aquamarine Power said it has used data and lessons learned from the first Oyster to improve its power output by 250 per cent, simplify installation and allow easier routine maintenance.
The company said the device’s shape has been modified and made wider to enable it to capture more wave energy: it is now mounted on two seabed piles, rather than four to simplify installation. Oyster 800 has also been designed to make maintenance and operations easier and more cost-effective.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
The EU and UK will be moving towards using Grid Forming inverters with Energy Storage that has an inherent ability to act as a source of Infinite...