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The shoreline OWC wave power plant at the Azores
Catarina TravassosNelson Marques
Rui Martinho
Project Definition
• EC Non Nuclear Energy Programme JOULE• Partners
– IST– Queen´s University of Belfast– University College Cork– Empresa de Eletricidade dos Açores– EDP – EFACEC – Profabril
Ocean Wave Energy Project
“It has been estimated that if less than 0.1% of the renewable energy available within the oceans could be converted into electricity it would satisfy the present world demand for energy more than five times over”
Marine Foresight Panel
Wave Power Plant
• This technology addresses the sustainable production of electrical energy
• National Interests• Reduction of energy dependence from the exterior,
particularly in the case of islands.• Production of electric energy with little environmental impact.• Acquire the knowledge of the integration of the overall
system.• Acquire more knowledge of civil constructing in the shoreline.• Exportability of this knowledge with economical advantages.
Wave Power Plant
• International Interests• Develop new knowledge in the renewable energies field• Determination of the critical economical factors of building
and operating a small/medium unit.
• Winning Groups• Less environmental impact on the local communities
compared to conventional thermo electrical power generation.
• More energy independence for communities near coastal areas.
• Electrical Utilities may benefit from operating experience in distributed power systems with renewable energy sources.
The Technology ...
•An Oscillating Water Column type - OWC
•A horizontal Wells turbine
•A variable speed generator
•A by-pass relief valve
400 kW of maximum output
power
The Wells turbines
Wells turbines have the unique
property of turning in the same
direction regardless of which
way the air is flowing across the turbine blades.
Innovation ...
• The generator is connected directly to the rotor, eliminating the need for transmission and gearing.
• The generator's variable-speed allows the turbine rotor to slow down or speed up in response to air flow changes.
• A power electronics unit converts the variable-frequency, alternating current produced by the generator into constant-frequency, 50-cycle alternating current compatible with the utility grid.
• Use of different materials namely stainless steel, carbon steel and non-metallic materials in this kind of project.
Wave Energy Devices
Up and Down
Roll
Impact
Float Oscillating Water Column
Single Roller Connected Floats
On Fixed Body
On Flexible Body
Improvements towards efficiency
• Developing and optimizing OWC control strategies
• Developing more advanced geometry (fixed-pitch) turbine rotor blades
• Carrying out studies on the integration of wave power plants on small isolated electrical grids
Waves are a free and sustainable energy
resource
Environmental Friendly
• Wave energy is a renewable resource• The only resources used through its life cycle
are for production, set-up and dismantling of the facility
The environmental impact is negligible
Ready to Operate this Spring
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