Lloyd’s Register certifies WaveRoller

 
Lloyd’s Register has awarded its first Technology Qualification certificate to a developer of ocean energy technology, AW-Energy from Finland, after more than two years of cooperation.

The Technology Qualification certificate was presented today by Thomas Thune Andersen, the Chairman of Lloyd’s Register, to the Chairman of AW-Energy, Per Langer, in the presence of the British Ambassador to Denmark, Vivien Life, at the British Embassy in Copenhagen.

Lloyd’s Register’s Technology Qualification has a major role to play in relatively young and new components, processes or systems with a lack of historical data, according to AW-Energy.

Chris Ridgewell, Chief Technology Officer at AW-Energy, said: “Technology Qualification is a detailed goal-based approach to risk that has allowed AW-Energy to identify and mitigate risks and weaknesses in the design throughout the innovation process for the prototype deployment in Peniche.”

Per Langer said: “I have seen that this has been very challenging, but a valuable process, so I am very excited to announce that WaveRoller has been awarded the Technology Qualification certificate, and the first ocean energy converter to reach this level of validation by Lloyd’s Register.”

Commenting on the process, Ross Wigg, VP Renewables at Lloyd’s Register, stated: “The technologies that are to be commercialised in ocean energy, in renewables and across the energy mix, can be both emerging technologies and technology that is unproven on a large industrial scale.

“Our approach supports a better way for technology developers to manage costs and the associated risks of bringing new technology to market.”

Last week, AW-Energy received €10 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) with Horizon 2020 backing, for the construction of full-scale 350 kW WaveRoller demonstration unit which will be deployed in Portugal later this year.

WaveRoller wave energy device works when the back and forth movement of water puts the panel into motion, which triggers the hydraulic piston, attached to the panel, to pump the hydraulic fluids inside a closed hydraulic circuit.

The high-pressure fluids are then fed into a hydraulic motor that drives an electricity generator, producing electricity.

Lloyd’s Register is a global engineering, technical and business services organisation wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, that offers compliance, risk and technical consultancy services.