A prototype wave energy generator developed by AWS Ocean Energy has delivered excellent power generation performance during ocean-based testing at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, Scotland.

The Waveswing is a cylindrical metal buoy tethered to a single point on the ocean floor, staying submerged and responding to water pressure changes. As a wave passes overhead, the increased pressure pushes down on the top floater section of the device, sliding it downward relative to the lower silo section. This telescoping mechanism compresses the air in the wave energy conversion device, creating an air spring to push theThe prototype installed at the testing site. Source: AWS Ocean Energy floater section back up as the wave rolls onward. As the floater moves up and down, it drives a hydraulic motor, which converts the linear motion into rotation. An electrical generator draws power from both the upward and downward motions.

During a period of moderate wave conditions at the test site, the prototype machine with a rated capacity of 16 kW captured an average of 10 kW with peaks up to 80 kW. AWS Ocean Energy expects these units to be configurable for power ratings between 15 kW and 500 kW, with commercial deployments developed as multi-absorber structures, which could see 20 of the most powerful units arrayed together with a potential capacity of 10 MW per platform.