Aquamarine Power Cornering Near Shore Wave Energy Market

Aquamarine Power, an award winning designer of near shore wave energy systems, has announced Oyster 2, a wave energy converter that can generate 800 kilowatts of power. Three of the systems, which measure 26 meters by 16 meters each, will be deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney in the summer of 2011. Total power capacity for the completed ocean power plant is estimated at 2.4 megawatts, or enough power for 12,000 homes.

Besides being easier to install and simpler to maintain than Oyster 1, the company’s first wave energy system, it is also 250 percent more efficient. The new efficiencies were accomplished as a result of a new flap shape, which allows for a higher amount of power per ton of steel.

The new Oyster system, like the last one, has been designed to capture near shore wave energy. As the name implies, the oyster captures energy through a hinged flap that is mounted on the seabed. The flap, which extends to the ocean surface, is moved backwards and forward through the motion of the waves. The movement of the flaps pushes water at high speeds through an underwater pipe. This water then travels to an onshore turbine. The resulting rotation of the hydroelectric turbine than generates the needed electricity.

Because Aquamarine Power’s near shore technology is so different than off shore wave technology, in that it captures the back and forth wave energy as opposed to the up and down wave motion energy, Aquamarine may have a decisive edge in the lucrative wave energy market.

Although near shore waves were never thought to have nearly as much power generation capacity as off shore waves, new research published in the May 8 issue of New Scientist magazine suggests otherwise. According to research done by Dr Matt Folley at Queen’s University, near shore waves within 0.5 to 2 kilometers off the coast contain about 80 to 90 percent as much usable energy as waves further out. Specifically, Dr. Folley’s calculations suggest that near shore waves carry 16.5 kilowatts per meter slice while offshore contain 18.5 kilowatts per meter slice.

So far to date, Aquamarine Power has identified about 8 gigawatts of near shore wave energy sources off the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland, in an area considered to be one of the richest water energy regions. If Aquamarine were able to capture all 8 gigawatts, it would also capture a significant share of the alternative energy market, which the company reports at 240 gigawatts.