Drakoo wave device generates first power in China

Hann-Ocean Energy’s wave energy prototype Drakoo has produced first power during trials conducted in a testing facility in Nantong, China.

The Drakoo-B0010 wave energy converter started generating power on December 23, 2016, with the peak power output of 3.8kW at wave height of 0.6 meters, Hann-Ocean informed.

It is installed in the twin wave flume at the newly built Han-Ocean’s testing facility in Su-tong Science & Technology Park.

The Singapore-based wave energy developer said the successful power generation is the result of combining eight years of continuous research and development efforts, and a full year of design and precision fabrication.

The full-scale prototype will generate 10kW of energy at peak performance. The working principle of Drakoo, being a twin-chamber oscillating water column system, is to transform waves into a continuous water flow which drives a hydro turbine generator.

Hann-Ocean said it will continue to improve the energy converter performance for higher power output, and will test over the complete operative range of wave environments in regular and irregular wave to validate its total performance characteristics.