Novige takes delivery of new float for wave energy device

Swedish company Novige has received a new float for its NoviOcean wave energy device that will soon be put to tank tests in France.

Aside from the new float, Novige said it also fine-tuned various components of the power take-off (PTO) system ahead of planned two-week trial in Nantes.

The trials, expected to begin end of June, will be conducted at Research Laboratory in Hydrodynamics, Energetics and Atmospheric Environment (LHEEA).

The LHEEA, located at Centrale Nantes, is a French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) mixed research unit, boasting one of the largest test tanks suitable for testing of equipment related to marine renewable energy.

Novige’s NoviOcean device is a floating non-resonant point absorber wave energy converter which extracts energy from the vertical motion (heave) of the waves.

It is essentially comprised of two main subsystems – the ‘rectangular float’, and the ‘inverted hydro power plant PTO’.

Jan Skjoldhammer, CEO and founder of Novige, said: “Contrary to most other designs that lift or exert a force of 20-100 tons in 3-metre waves, combined with often complex and not proven systems, we are very different.

“Thanks to the rectangular shape of the float, the full-size unit will lift 600 tons, and consists of three well-proven and simple components: the float, a hydraulic cylinder and a Pelton turbine with a generator on the same axis.

“Our levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) target is to be below €160 at the first 3-MW array, then below offshore wind for a similar sized array after 50MW deployed, with much lower to go on the learning curve.

“For us, the first stage will be to produce electricity, second to produce hydrogen on board, while the third stage could entail developing floating fuel stations for hydrogen-powered shipping”.

As reported earlier, Novige secured in early April SEK 5.6 million (€550,000) in project funding from the Swedish Energy Agency to fine-tune and further develop the essential components of its NoviOcean wave energy device.

The company was also recently selected as the winner of Stena Line Propeller Prize for its NoviOcean device. The awards are designed to recognize young growth companies focused on sustainability in the Baltic Sea region.