HORIZON INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS SITE

 Oyster 800 wave machine in massive waves

Aquamarine Power has just released new video footage showing their Oyster 800 wave energy machine operating in massive waves off Orkney.

The footage was captured on April 23 this year, and shows Oyster 800 in waves over eight metres high at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney.

Waves this severe are encountered less than one per cent of the time. To give an idea of scale, the Oyster 800 machine is 26 metres wide and 12 metres high, and the largest waves are higher than a two storey house.

An animation of Oyster 800

"The big challenge in designing and building a wave machine is ensuring it can survive in massive waves. The video gives a good example of what we need to design for," says Aquamarine Power Chief Executive Officer Martin McAdam.

"Oyster is a buoyant flap which pitches back and forth in nearshore waves. It ducks under the biggest waves which means it can operate in all weather - including severe storms.

"Oyster is located in the nearshore area at depth of around 12 metres. At this depth, we avoid the very highest waves which break before they reach the machine. We design Oyster to withstand the largest waves it will encounter at this depth.

"Out at sea, the waves can be much more severe. On this particular day, the wave height at 50 metres water depth exceeded 11.5 metres, or nearly as high as a four storey building.

Oyster 800, which has been operating since February at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney: Scotland.

"The operational testing we have conducted over the past six months confirms the data we have gathered from our tank testing at Queen's University Belfast. It gives us confidence our design can lead to cost-effective electricity generated from waves," McAdam concludes.

Earlier this month Aquamarine Power released performance data for Oyster 800 and gave details of a summer shutdown to implement a series of planned improvements to Oyster 800.  For further details please click here: /news/aquamarine-power-releases-performance-data-and-details-of-planned-improvements-to-oyster-800/

This news is from Aquamarine Power, 17 July 2103.

Pubilshed on the Horizon International Solutions Site 17 July 2013.

Additional articles about wave energy and Aquamarine Power published on the Horizon International Solutions Site sho9w the progression with this technology. They include:

Hydro-electric Wave Energy Device “Oyster” Launched Off the Coast of Scotland

Research To Create New Wave Of Clean Energy Technology Underway

£5.1M Government Funding Secured To Develop Wave Energy Device, Oyster 2

Nearshore Waves Ideal For Wave Energy Says New Scientist