Wave energy developer Aquamarine Power today unveiled the design of its Oyster 2 wave energy converter which will be built in Scotland this summer.
The new 800kW device will measure 26 metres by 16 metres and will deliver 250 per cent more power than the original Oyster 1 which was successfully deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney last summer.
The new device incorporates design improvements on Oyster 1, enabling it to produce more energy, be simpler to install and easier to maintain.
The company will begin deployment of three Oyster 2s at EMEC in summer 2011. All three devices will be linked to a single onshore 2.4 MW hydro-electric turbine. A small farm of 20 Oyster 2 devices would provide enough energy for more than 12,000 homes.
“This is a significant step forward for Aquamarine Power,” says company CEO Martin McAdam. “Our brilliant engineering and research team have taken all of the lessons learned through the design, manufacture, installation and operation of Oyster 1 and incorporated these into Oyster 2.
“The design concept remains exactly the same, but we have improved every element of that design, from the size and shape of the Oyster flap, to the hydraulic power take off and pipeline system,” McAdam says. “Oyster 2 has very few moving parts, and the hydraulic elements are modular, meaning they can be swapped in and out as maintenance is required.
“When Oyster 2 is installed next summer it will be another step on our journey to building the world’s first commercial wave farm.
“We are grateful to the UK Government for supporting the development of Oyster 2 through funding from the Marine Renewables Proving Fund (MRPF), which is managed by the Carbon Trust. Continued government support is required to enable companies such as Aquamarine Power to capitalise on their technology and build a world-leading marine energy industry in the UK.”