Port partners sought for wave energy system

Only a few months ago, during December 2011, Eco Wave Power (EWP) conducted wave-pool testing of its proprietary technology in cooperation with the Hydro Mechanical National Institute of Kiev, yielding very encouraging results. This was sealed by a recommendation from the Institute to scale up the model to greater sizes.

EWP has now reached the advanced construction phase of its medium scale wave energy generation system. According to the company’s sources, the medium scale power plant is to be implemented on a pier in the Black Sea during the first quarter of 2012.

The medium scale device will produce a minimum, stable 5kW from each of its floats, which means at least 10kW, resulting in 240kWh a day, and a yearly amount of 87,600kWh.

Full scale
Immediately after finishing the testing of this model EWP will build the full scale commercial device, capable of providing stable and cost-efficient electricity for at least 1,000 households. In terms of size, a single float will be 20 cubic metres in volume, enabling a stable electric output of at least 90kW from each.

As a result, EWP is currently searching for additional potential cooperation with ports, harbours and marinas around the world toward the installation of its commercial scale wave energy devices.

Such cooperation will be beneficial for the environment and for the local communities, and will also provide clear advantages to the implementing ports.

Minimising erosion
Eco Wave Power guarantees to supply the port with a certain amount of clean free electricity, for its internal everyday needs.

Further than this, Eco Wave Power’s floaters will minimise coastal and breakwater erosion. When incoming waves hit breakwaters, their erosive power is concentrated on these structures which are some distance away from the coast. This shortens the lifespan of the breakwaters, resulting in large scale and expensive renovation.

Once EWP’s devices are installed on the ocean structures, the erosive oceanic effects will be minimised as the uniquely shaped floaters will serve as shock absorbers, thereby extending the breakwater’s life span.

Moreover, the implementation of such technology could promote ecotourism to the port: as one of this activity’s goals is to offer tourists insight into the impact human beings have on the environment, EWP’s wave energy devices may provide a novel destination.

The installation process the technology is also fast, simple and reliable. EWP’s innovative and advanced methods enable easy connection to different types of ocean structures such as (but not limited to) breakwaters, piers and floating platforms. In addition the EWP’s system’s proximity to the shore provides flexibility in the programming of the work and the ability to minimise installation costs.

Tailored implementation
Further, EWP conducts all the engineering works necessary for the wave farm construction and installation. Unlike other companies in the ocean energy field, EWP does not simply provide standardised floaters for different geographic locations.

The company puts an emphasis on adjusting its floaters to different locations, in order to maximise their effectiveness and minimise the risk of mechanical damage. All EWP’s wave energy generation systems are to be specifically tailored to their place of implementation, in accordance with the location’s feasibility studies.

In terms of the mechanical equipment, EWP is mainly using “off the shelf” proven components, which in turn increase component reliability and widens the supply chain options.

Eco Wave Power is a new player in the ocean energy field, headquartered in Israel. It is working on delivering sustainable and affordable wave energy solutions which will be responsive to the needs of countries all over the world.

Unique shapes
It’s main products are the ‘Wave Clapper’ and the ‘Power Wing’: uniquely shaped floaters that do not only rise and fall with the up and down motion of the waves but also utilise the effects of lifting force, Archimedes power, change of water level and the incident flux of waves. In addition, there are unique proprietary effects originating from the shapes of its floaters: for example, when an incident wave is higher than the ‘Power Wing’ floater, it locks some air underneath during the wave’s run-up; this air serves as an additional effective volume increasing kW production without adding to the weight of the floater.

The Eco Wave Power wave energy converter is a simple and inexpensive technology that harvests wave energy from both high and low waves. It is designed to be simple and robust while offering technical advantages over competing systems.

It is being developed to produce electricity not only more cheaply than traditional energy generation technologies such as coal and natural gas, but also to be cheaper than green energy solutions such as onshore wind or solar. This will be achieved by using low cost materials, low maintenance prices and long life expectancies.