AWS Waveswing installed at EMEC Scapa Flow test site (Credit EMEC)

AWS Ocean Energy

Inverness-based AWS Ocean Energy has been developing marine energy systems for over 20 years.

AWS WaveSwing

The Archimedes Waveswing technology is a submerged wave power buoy designed to provide reliable and affordable power for maritime communities and offshore applications. The Waveswing reacts to changes in sub-sea water pressure caused by passing waves and converts the resulting motion to electricity via a direct-drive generator. The system is suitable for deployment in water depths in excess of 25 metres and can be configured for ratings between 25 kW and 250 kW.

Key benefits of the Waveswing technology derive from its unique operating principle, its sub-sea location and the use of direct-drive technology. These combine to produce a system that is inherently survivable and reliable whilst providing best-in-class efficiency and cost and a minimal environmental footprint.

EMEC demonstration

The Waveswing device arrived in Orkney in January 2022 and underwent shakedown testing at EMEC’s scale test site in Scapa Flow between April and November 2022. The demonstration was funded by Wave Energy Scotland, and supported by the Interreg North-West Europe OceanDEMO project.

The 16 kW wave energy converter (WEC) underwent initial shakedown testing at EMEC’s Scapa Flow test site demonstrating deployment, operation and recovery of the device. During its testing programme, average power of over 10 kW, and peaks of 80 kW, were achieved exceeding AWS’s predictions by 20%.