Wave data

Wave data at our full-scale and scale wave test sites comes from Datawell Directional Waverider® buoys. There are three buoys located on the grid-connected site at Billia Croo which continuously measure the sea state parameters (maximum wave height, significant wave height, energy period and peak direction) as well as their GPS position and sea surface temperature. A radio link provides a continuous feed from the buoys back to our main data centre. Data is recorded via the SCADA system to which each of our developer clients is provided access to. The SCADA system also provides a drift alarm for each buoy, utilising the GPS information.

As well as monitoring marine conditions and the energy level of the sea, we also monitor weather data from an onshore met station. Along with the measurement of electrical power supplied to the grid, we can then assess the performance of a wave energy converter (WEC).