Wave Energy Scotland has selected four of the 10 stage-one power take-off (PTO) call participants to progress to stage two with combined funding of almost £2m.
Nottingham’s Romax Technology was awarded £496,200 to develop a geared PTO suitable for deployment on a large, deep-water attenuator-type wave device.
Aberdeenshire’s Ecosse Sub-sea Systems bagged £498,420 for its Power Electronic Controlled Magnet Gear modular all-electric PTO with magnetic gearing that is being developed to suit a variety of wave devices.
Pisa’s Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies scooped £498,000 to progress the use of electrostatic or dielectric elastomer generators to merging of the primary moving and PTO components of wave devices into a single body such as a membrane.
Cork’s Exceedence won £495,000 to advance its Gator PTO based around a novel polymer ‘spring pump’ capable of pumping significant quantities of water at moderate pressures through conventional hydro-electric turbines.
Scottish energy minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “The Scottish Government’s sustained funding has allowed Wave Energy Scotland to support companies to develop genuinely novel components for wave energy devices.
“I congratulate the technology developers that have reached this second stage and look forward to seeing the fruits of their collaboration.”
WES director Tim Hurst added: “Our competitive technology development process aims to bring forward development that will promote greater confidence in the technical performance of wave energy systems.
“This, of course, calls for very rigorous assessment and some difficult decisions about investment. Equally it shows the level of innovation and appetite among companies to keep Scotland at the forefront of wave energy development.”
Image: SXC
