Pelamis wave energy converter
Encyclopedia
The Pelamis Wave Energy Converter is a technology that uses the motion of ocean surface wave
s to create electricity. The machine is made up of connected sections which flex and bend as waves pass; it is this motion which is used to generate electricity.
Developed by the Scottish company Pelamis Wave Power
(formerly Ocean Power Delivery), the Pelamis became the world’s first wave machine to generate electricity into the grid from offshore wave energy, when it was connected to the UK grid in 2004. Pelamis Wave Power have since gone to build and test four additional Pelamis machines. Three, first generation P1 machines which were tested in a farm off the coast of Portugal in 2009 and the first of a second generation of machines, the P2 started tests off Orkney in 2010.
of the sections is resisted by hydraulic cylinder
s which pump high pressure oil through hydraulic motors
via smoothing hydraulic accumulators. The hydraulic motors drive electrical generator
s to produce electricity. Power from all the joints is fed down a single umbilical cable
to a junction on the sea bed. Several devices can be connected together and linked to shore through a single seabed cable.
, and slamming
, which in large waves give rise to large loads. Its novel joint configuration is used to induce a tunable cross-coupled resonant response. Control of the restraint applied to the joints allows this resonant response to be ‘turned-up’ in small seas where capture efficiency must be maximised or ‘turned-down’ to limit loads and motions in survival conditions.
in Orkney, Scotland between 2004 and 2007. The machine, which was rated at 750kW, was the world's first offshore wave power machine to generate electricity into the grid system. In 2010, Pelamis Wave Power returned to EMEC to test the second generation Pelamis machine, the 'P2'. The machine is owned by the German utility company, E.ON
, and was the UK's first commercial supply contract in the marine energy sector . In March 2010 Pelamis Wave Power announced a second order for a P2 machine, from ScottishPower Renewables, part of Iberdrola Renovables
. This machine is due to be installed at EMEC, in summer 2011. The two utility companies have announced that they will work together to share and collaborate in testing of the P2 Pelamis technology.
Both E.ON and ScottishPower Renewables have announced plans to build larger projects using Pelamis machines in the waters off Orkney's west coast . Both companies won leases in 2010 from The Crown Estate, who own the seabed around the UK, for projects of up to 50MW. The 'Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Leasing Round' was the world's first commercial scale wave and tidal energy leasing opportunity . Pelamis Wave Power were also awarded a lease in this round to independently develop a project of up to 50MW on the north coast of Scotland at Farr Point, Sutherland
.
In December 2009, Pelamis Wave Power announced a joint venture with Swedish utility Vattenfall
to develop a wave farm off the southwest coast of Shetland. The joint venture company, named Aegir Wave Power, is planning to install a 10MW farm using around 13 Pelamis machines and were awarded an Agreement for Lease from The Crown Estate in May 2011.
The Aguçadoura Wave Farm was the world's first wave farm
. Located off the northwest coast of Portugal
near Póvoa de Varzim
the farm had an installed capacity of 2.25MW and used three Pelamis P1, first generation, machines . The project was funded by Portuguese utility Enersis
, at the time were owned by Australian global investment company Babcock & Brown. The farm first generated electricity in July 2008 but was taken offline in November 2008 at the same time as Babcock & Brown encountered financal difficulties..
development off the north coast of Cornwall
, in England
, in the Pacific ocean
off the coast of Tillamook
, Oregon
.
.
Pelamis was featured in the 2008 television documentary "Man-Made: Aqua Power".
BBC's Bang Goes the Theory
explored inside the Pelamis P2 in Episode 4 of Series 3.
It was featured on James May's Big Ideas.
Ocean surface wave
In fluid dynamics, wind waves or, more precisely, wind-generated waves are surface waves that occur on the free surface of oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and canals or even on small puddles and ponds. They usually result from the wind blowing over a vast enough stretch of fluid surface. Waves in the...
s to create electricity. The machine is made up of connected sections which flex and bend as waves pass; it is this motion which is used to generate electricity.
Developed by the Scottish company Pelamis Wave Power
Pelamis Wave Power
Pelamis Wave Power designs and manufactures the Pelamis Wave Energy Converter–a technology that uses the motion of ocean surface waves to create electricity...
(formerly Ocean Power Delivery), the Pelamis became the world’s first wave machine to generate electricity into the grid from offshore wave energy, when it was connected to the UK grid in 2004. Pelamis Wave Power have since gone to build and test four additional Pelamis machines. Three, first generation P1 machines which were tested in a farm off the coast of Portugal in 2009 and the first of a second generation of machines, the P2 started tests off Orkney in 2010.
Operation
The Pelamis machine consists of a series of semi-submerged cylindrical sections linked by hinged joints. As waves pass along the length of the machine, the sections move relative to one another. The wave-induced motionMotion (physics)
In physics, motion is a change in position of an object with respect to time. Change in action is the result of an unbalanced force. Motion is typically described in terms of velocity, acceleration, displacement and time . An object's velocity cannot change unless it is acted upon by a force, as...
of the sections is resisted by hydraulic cylinder
Hydraulic cylinder
A Hydraulic cylinder is a mechanical actuator that is used to give a unidirectional force through a unidirectional stroke. It has many applications, notably in engineering vehicles.- Operation :...
s which pump high pressure oil through hydraulic motors
Hydraulic machinery
Hydraulic machines are machinery and tools that use liquid fluid power to do simple work. Heavy equipment is a common example.In this type of machine, hydraulic fluid is transmitted throughout the machine to various hydraulic motors and hydraulic cylinders and which becomes pressurised according to...
via smoothing hydraulic accumulators. The hydraulic motors drive electrical generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
s to produce electricity. Power from all the joints is fed down a single umbilical cable
Umbilical cable
An umbilical cable or umbilical is a cable which supplies required consumables to an apparatus. It is named by analogy with an umbilical cord...
to a junction on the sea bed. Several devices can be connected together and linked to shore through a single seabed cable.
Principles
The Pelamis is an attenuating wave energy converter designed with survivability at the fore. The Pelamis's long thin shape means it is almost invisible to hydrodynamic forces, namely inertia, dragDrag
- In science and technology :* Drag , the force which resists motion of an object through a fluid* Drag equation, a mathematical equation used in analyzing the magnitude of drag caused by fluid flow...
, and slamming
Slamming
Slamming is the impact of the bottom structure of a ship onto the sea surface. It is mainly observed while sailing in waves, when the bow raises from the water and subsequently impacts on it. Slamming induces extremely high loads to ship structures and is taken under consideration when designing...
, which in large waves give rise to large loads. Its novel joint configuration is used to induce a tunable cross-coupled resonant response. Control of the restraint applied to the joints allows this resonant response to be ‘turned-up’ in small seas where capture efficiency must be maximised or ‘turned-down’ to limit loads and motions in survival conditions.
Scotland
Pelamis Wave Power tested their first full-scale prototype at the European Marine Energy CentreEuropean Marine Energy Centre
The European Marine Energy Centre is a research centre focusing on wave and tidal power development based in the Orkney Islands, UK. It claims to provide developers with the opportunity to test full-scale grid-connected prototype devices in unrivalled wave and tidal conditions...
in Orkney, Scotland between 2004 and 2007. The machine, which was rated at 750kW, was the world's first offshore wave power machine to generate electricity into the grid system. In 2010, Pelamis Wave Power returned to EMEC to test the second generation Pelamis machine, the 'P2'. The machine is owned by the German utility company, E.ON
E.ON
E.ON AG, marketed with an interpunct as E•ON, is the holding company of the world's largest investor-owned energy service provider based in Düsseldorf, Germany. The name comes from the Greek word aeon which means eternity....
, and was the UK's first commercial supply contract in the marine energy sector . In March 2010 Pelamis Wave Power announced a second order for a P2 machine, from ScottishPower Renewables, part of Iberdrola Renovables
Iberdrola Renovables
- Iberdrola Renovables was a subsidiary of Iberdrola, headquartered in Valencia, Spain, which included companies in the domains of renewable energy, particularly wind power...
. This machine is due to be installed at EMEC, in summer 2011. The two utility companies have announced that they will work together to share and collaborate in testing of the P2 Pelamis technology.
Both E.ON and ScottishPower Renewables have announced plans to build larger projects using Pelamis machines in the waters off Orkney's west coast . Both companies won leases in 2010 from The Crown Estate, who own the seabed around the UK, for projects of up to 50MW. The 'Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Leasing Round' was the world's first commercial scale wave and tidal energy leasing opportunity . Pelamis Wave Power were also awarded a lease in this round to independently develop a project of up to 50MW on the north coast of Scotland at Farr Point, Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
.
In December 2009, Pelamis Wave Power announced a joint venture with Swedish utility Vattenfall
Vattenfall
Vattenfall is a Swedish power company. The name Vattenfall is Swedish for waterfall, and is an abbreviation of its original name, Royal Waterfall Board...
to develop a wave farm off the southwest coast of Shetland. The joint venture company, named Aegir Wave Power, is planning to install a 10MW farm using around 13 Pelamis machines and were awarded an Agreement for Lease from The Crown Estate in May 2011.
Portugal
Wave farm
A wave farm or wave power farm is a collection of machines in the same location and used for the generation of wave power electricity.-Portugal:...
. Located off the northwest coast of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
near Póvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim
Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese city in the Norte Region and sub-region of Greater Porto, with a 2011 estimated population of 63,364. According to the 2001 census, there were 63,470 inhabitants with 42,396 living in the city proper. The urban area expanded, southwards, to Vila do Conde, and there...
the farm had an installed capacity of 2.25MW and used three Pelamis P1, first generation, machines . The project was funded by Portuguese utility Enersis
Enersis
Enersis is one of the main privately-owned multinational electric power corporations in Latin America. It currently holds direct and indirect participation in electric power generation, transmission, and distribution businesses...
, at the time were owned by Australian global investment company Babcock & Brown. The farm first generated electricity in July 2008 but was taken offline in November 2008 at the same time as Babcock & Brown encountered financal difficulties..
Worldwide
Pelamis Wave Power has also expressed an interest in installing Pelamis devices at the Wave hubWave hub
The Wave Hub is a wave power research project. The project is developed approximately off Hayle, on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The hub is a 'socket' sitting on the seabed for wave energy converters to be plugged into; it will have connections to it from arrays of four kinds of...
development off the north coast of Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in the Pacific ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
off the coast of Tillamook
Tillamook
Tillamook may refer to:Places:* Tillamook County, Oregon, United States* Tillamook, Oregon, a city in the United States* Tillamook River, United States* Tillamook Bay, a bay in the northwestern part of Oregon...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Etymology
Pelamis platurus is a yellow-bellied sea snake that lives in tropical and subtropical waters. It prefers shallow inshore waters.In the media
The Aguçadoura Wave Farm was featured in the Yann Arthus-Bertrand documentary "Home"Home (2009 film)
Home is a 2009 documentary by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The film is almost entirely composed of aerial shots of various places on Earth. It shows the diversity of life on Earth and how humanity is threatening the ecological balance of the planet...
.
Pelamis was featured in the 2008 television documentary "Man-Made: Aqua Power".
BBC's Bang Goes the Theory
Bang Goes the Theory
Bang Goes the Theory is a British television science magazine series, co-produced by the BBC and the Open University, that began on 27 July 2009 on BBC One. Presented by Liz Bonnin, Jem Stansfield, Dallas Campbell and Dr...
explored inside the Pelamis P2 in Episode 4 of Series 3.
It was featured on James May's Big Ideas.
See also
- E.ONE.ONE.ON AG, marketed with an interpunct as E•ON, is the holding company of the world's largest investor-owned energy service provider based in Düsseldorf, Germany. The name comes from the Greek word aeon which means eternity....
- Siadar Wave Energy ProjectSiadar Wave Energy ProjectThe Siadar Wave Power Station will be a 4 MW wave farm off the shore of Siadar Bay, in Lewis, Scotland. It is claimed that it will be the world's largest wave farm. The £30 million project, to be built by Wavegen, received Scottish Government approval on 22 January 2009, and is planned...
- Ocean energy
- Wave farmWave farmA wave farm or wave power farm is a collection of machines in the same location and used for the generation of wave power electricity.-Portugal:...
- Wave powerWave powerWave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves, and the capture of that energy to do useful work — for example, electricity generation, water desalination, or the pumping of water...