Irish wave energy developer, Sea Power, is preparing to deploy its prototype wave energy device at the Galway Bay Marine and Renewable Energy Test Site in the coming weeks.
Following successful completion of testing at small scale, Sea Power, which received grant support from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), is now progressing to quarter scale testing in open sea conditions for the first time, SEAI informed.
The Sea Power device has been in development for eight years and will soon make the short journey from Foynes in Limerick, where it was built, to the Galway Bay test site.
As an attenuator type of wave energy converter, the SeaPower Platform operates parallel to the wave direction capturing energy from the relative motion of the two arms in the device as the wave passes them.
Jim Gannon , CEO of SEAI, said: “It’s very encouraging to see innovative Irish technologies progress through the country’s testing facilities. Ocean energy is an emerging sector for Ireland, offering huge potential in job creation and energy security.”
SEAI and the Marine Institute of Ireland are working together to develop the country’s ocean energy testing infrastructure which includes tank testing facilities at Lir National Ocean Test Facility in Cork, the consented quarter scale test site in Galway Bay and the planned full scale Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site off the Mayo coast.
Peter Heffernan , Marine Institute’s CEO, said: “Sea Power is a great example of an indigenous Irish company developing novel technology to harness the power of the ocean. Having brought their device through various small scale prototypes, it is exciting to see this new technology being prepared for testing in the sea at quarter scale.”