Laminaria
Flemish wave energy developer Laminaria is gearing up to test its innovative wave energy converter at EMEC’s grid-connected wave test site at Billia Croo. Laminaria will be the first Belgian company to test at EMEC’s test sites.
Laminaria’s technology – a surge operated point absorber – has a bespoke storm protection system build in to enhance the survivability of the device, allowing it to remain operational during storm events.
Scale sea trials have already been carried out in Belgium to inform the design for the full-scale device that will undergo performance testing at EMEC.
Laminaria’s testing programme at EMEC is supported by the Interreg NWE FORESEA project and the Horizon2020 MaRINET2 project.
LAMWEC
In February 2016, Laminaria announced that the company had joined forces with the EMEC, Innosea, Ghent University, and TTI Testing to support the development of their novel wave energy converter (WEC). Funded under the OCEANERA-NET First Joint Call 2014, the LAMWEC project seeks to develop and test a 200kW Laminaria WEC, progressing from TRL stage 5 (technology validated in relevant environment) to 7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment).
Building on the results from the tank testing programme (and previous North Sea trials), Innosea has performed time domain modelling of the mooring system, including PTO response, to ascertain device response and mooring system loads. Using these loads TTI has designed full-scale mooring strops, which are currently being tested on a bespoke bending fatigue test rig.
Laminaria has completed the design of a generic anchoring method, including a remotely operable mechanical and electrical connector, as well as the pulley system and the majority of the PTO frame.
The University of Ghent has also completed theoretical studies of the PTO setup and is currently preparing lab testing.
Final tank testing was completed towards the end of 2017 to test the survivability of the device. The WEC endured equivalent significant wave heights of up to 16m, demonstrating that the survival mechanism can reduce loads to a chosen limit during extreme circumstances.
Production of the full-scale Laminaria WEC is now underway in preparation for deployment at EMEC’s Billia Croo wave test site in 2020/2021.
Related news:
- December 2018: SEA Wave to explore environmental impacts of wave energy
- January 2018: Final LAMWEC tank tests complete prior to EMEC deployment
- September 2017: Laminaria raises €2 million for wave energy development
- February 2017: LAMWEC tank tests demo innovative storm protection system
- November 2016: FORESEA awards support to ten ocean energy technology developers
- February 2016: LAMWEC project to prove Laminaria WEC survivability
- December 2015: Laminaria to demonstrate wave technology at EMEC
