Alex Salmond, the First Minister of Scotland, yesterday launched Aquamarine Power’s Oyster, which has already been hailed as the biggest hydroelectric wave-energy machine. Various tests conducted at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney near Stromness suggest that the machine, after it’s linked with similar larger machines, will deliver 2MW of power to the National Grid at the New and Renewable Energy Center (NaREC) near Newcastle by 2011. It’s sufficient enough to power 1400 homes in Orkney and beyond.
A single Oyster can deliver up to a half megawatt of power as it sends water at high pressure to an onshore hydroelectric turbine. An oscillating Wave Surge Converter placed offshore in a depth of about 10-12 meters reacts to the moving waves and its double acting pistons start pushing the seawater upwards at a very high pressure. Later, it is converted into power with the help of a hydroelectric generator.
Scotland’s potential renewables capacity is estimated to be around 60GW. Our waters hold around 10 percent of Europe’s wave power potential and as much as a quarter of its tidal power potential. The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) provides world-leading test facilities for Aquamarine and other companies to develop the technology needed to harness this huge untapped potential.
Said Alex Salmond while highlighting that the Scottish Govt. granted the project a £2.5 million in funding earlier this week. Further R&D funding of almost £1m to Aquamarine Power was also confirmed for the development of Oyster 2 within two years.
Via: NewEnergyFocus