Wavepiston equips wave system with new energy collector

Danish wave energy developer Wavepiston has installed its latest version of the wave energy collector on the prototype string deployed off the coast of Denmark.

The version 3.1 of the energy collector was installed on Saturday, March 10, 2018 at the DanWEC test site at Hanstholm, Wavepiston informed.

According to the developer, the energy collector has an updated storm protection system.

The updated collector will be tested on the string located in a test area which has the most extreme conditions found close to shore in Danish waters, according to Wavepiston.

In collaboration with its development partners, Vryhof Anchors, Fiellberg and the Technical University of Denmark, Wavepiston installed version 2 of its wave energy prototype at Hanstholm in 2017.

The energy collectors have been tested and upgraded continuously, Wavepiston noted.

“Results so far show that the energy production follows the predicted. Our focus is now on increasing the durability of the energy collectors,” Wavepiston said in February 2018.

The installation of the energy collector v3.1 on the Wavepiston system (Photo: Wavepiston)

 
Wavepiston wave energy prototype is comprised of a steel wire stretched between two anchored buoys.

The 120-meter long string has 8 optimized energy collectors planned to be mounted onboard.

The device works when waves roll along the wire moving the plates back and forth. The moving plates pump seawater into pipe which leads it to a turbine that produces electricity.

The expected output of the prototype is 12kW.