New-wave energy

Anaconda, a wave-energy converter that mimics the action of a sea snake, is in the final stage of testing at Qinetiq’s facilities near Gosport.

Made almost entirely of rubber, each Anaconda is up to 200m long and capable of generating 1MW of power.

According to developer Checkmate Group, a field of 50 Anacondas could generate enough electricity to fuel 50,000 homes at a price that significantly undercuts similar clean-energy devices.

Checkmate’s chairman Paul Auston said: ‘The UK is known for its engineering excellence and politicians from all parties have been keen to challenge companies to come up with renewable-energy projects that can be sold around the world.

‘With Anaconda we have an invention that changes conventional thinking and it can help to meet government targets for cutting CO₂ by providing renewable wave energy from our coastal waters.