Attenuator Cost of Energy Reduction (ACER)

Overview

The SeaPower Platform is a two-body wave energy converter (WEC) that has been under development since 2008. The WEC is classed as a floating attenuator device with energy extracted via the relative motion (flex) of the two bodies about a hinged joint. A power take-off (PTO) system extracts power by damping the flex motion of the device.

The project brought together design engineers and experts to carry out realistic small scale testing and conceptual full scale studies of a proposed novel form of the device to quantify performance improvements and the cost of energy and gauge the economic potential. This project determined, in an open and verifiable manner, the power extraction capabilities of the device, along with the costs involved in delivering this power at full scale for Scottish and Irish marine locations.

The aim of the project was to advance the understanding of the Sea Power Platform: its response to extreme conditions and the effect of various types of control on both the loading (pressures, forces, moments, etc.) and expected power capture. The outputs of the project were expected to be able to identify a route to achieving the target LCOE cost of £150/MWh.

Activities involved in delivering this included:

• Numerical modelling to optimise the device geometry for power capture;
• Physical testing at two scales (1:25 & 1:50) & numerical modelling to produce a prediction of performance and loading at full scale;
• Estimation of annual power capture of a full-scale device at a range of deployment locations;
  Development of the concept design of the full scale WEC;
• Front End Engineering Design of a partial scale open water demonstrator device;
• Operations planning for installation, maintenance & retrieval of a partial scale WEC;
• Planning of test activities for an open water partial scale WEC;
• Further development of a scalable, interactive cost model.

The key features of the project technology, and its anticipated advantages are summarised as follows:

• Simple technology for converting wave motion to WEC motion – low risk, predictable;
• Novel modular tension bolted chassis;
• Range of PTO options are applicable – rotary or linear;
• Range of control options – can enhance power extraction and/or limit loading.