Trevor Whittaker
Encyclopedia
Trevor Whittaker is Professor of Coastal Engineering at Queen's University, Belfast having been awarded a personal chair in 1993. He was elected a Fellow of The Royal Academy of Engineering
in 2002. He is specialist adviser to the board of Aquamarine Power
, a company formed to commercially develop the Oyster wave energy converter
.
In the 1990s, Professor Whittaker managed the team which designed, constructed and operated Britain's first wave power station, located on the Isle of Islay
. Prior to decommissioning in 1998, the 75kw plant was one of only four wave power stations in the world supplying electricity to a national distribution grid. The significance of this work was recognised when the team was presented with The ESSO Energy award in 1994 by The Royal Society
. This work led to the construction of the 500 kW Islay LIMPET
plant which was commissioned in 2001 and is now being commercially developed.
Professor Whittaker has been a pioneer of wave power engineering since the early 1970s, when he first worked with Professor Allan Wells on the design and delivery of the first Wells Turbine.
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
in 2002. He is specialist adviser to the board of Aquamarine Power
Aquamarine Power
Aquamarine Power is a wave energy company, which was founded in 2005 to commercialise a wave energy device concept known as the Oyster wave energy converter. The company's head offices are based in Edinburgh...
, a company formed to commercially develop the Oyster wave energy converter
Oyster wave energy converter
The Oyster is a hydro-electric wave energy device that uses the motion of ocean waves to generate electricity. It is made up of a Power Connector Frame , which is bolted to the seabed, and a Power Capture Unit . The PCU is a hinged buoyant flap that moves back and forth with movement of the waves...
.
In the 1990s, Professor Whittaker managed the team which designed, constructed and operated Britain's first wave power station, located on the Isle of Islay
Islay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
. Prior to decommissioning in 1998, the 75kw plant was one of only four wave power stations in the world supplying electricity to a national distribution grid. The significance of this work was recognised when the team was presented with The ESSO Energy award in 1994 by The Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. This work led to the construction of the 500 kW Islay LIMPET
Islay LIMPET
Islay LIMPET is the world’s first commercial wave power device connected to the United Kingdom's National Grid.Following the construction of a 75 kW prototype in 1991, a 500 kW unit was built in 2000, and is located at Claddach Farm on the Rhinns of Islay on the Scottish island of Islay...
plant which was commissioned in 2001 and is now being commercially developed.
Professor Whittaker has been a pioneer of wave power engineering since the early 1970s, when he first worked with Professor Allan Wells on the design and delivery of the first Wells Turbine.