OPT’s PB3 wave device meets Japan’s needs

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) has informed that its PB3 commercial PowerBuoy is meeting all of its performance requirements after eight weeks of deployment off Japan.

The PB3 wave device was deployed in April 2017 off Kozu-Island for a six month period as part of previously agreed lease with Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding (MES).

Since the deployment, the PB3 PowerBuoy has generated a total of over 471kWh of electric power, and achieved a single day peak production of over 24kWh, according to Mike M. Mekhiche, OPT’s Executive Vice President of Engineering and Operations.

George H. Kirby, President and Chief Executive Officer of OPT, said: “We believe this performance further validates the commercial maturity of our PB3 and demonstrates OPT’s ability to address applications in our target markets such as ocean observing, oil and gas, security and defense, and communications.”

OPT has also informed that the commercial PB3 Power Take-Off (PTO) accelerated life testing, which is conducted at the OPT’s headquarters in New Jersey, reached over 67 million strokes that simulates over 4 years of ocean operation.

OPT’s PB3 PowerBuoy harvests the energy of the waves, and can act as both power and communication platform for remote offshore applications.