European subsidiary of Australian company Bombora Wave Power has awarded a contract to hovercraft manufacturer Griffon Hoverwork for the supply of a membrane for the mWave device.
Under the contract awarded on April 12, 2018, Griffon Hoverwork will be tasked with the design, fabrication, delivery, installation and validation of the flexible membrane system for Bombora’s mWave wave energy converter.
The scope of work also entails fixing, testing and monitoring of the large-scale, robust membrane which is suitable for prolonged cyclic use in seawater.
Bombora’s mWave device features a series of air-inflated rubber membranes mounted to a concrete structure on the sea floor.
As waves pass over the mWave, the air inside the membranes is squeezed into a duct and through a turbine. The turbine spins a generator to produce electricity. The air is then recycled to re-inflate the membranes to prepare them for the next wave.
To remind, in November 2017 Bombora unveiled plans to establish office in the south of Wales at Pembroke Dock to house a team focused on a two and a half year, €20 million project to design, fabricate and test the first 1.5MW mWave prototype.
At that time, the company said it wanted to access the Marine Energy Test Area (META) in Pembrokeshire, being developed by Marine Energy Wales, which includes access to an exposed ocean testing area.