Carnegie signs wave energy research deal with European firms

Australian wave energy manufacturer Carnegie Wave Energy, has announced collaboration with a group of European base wave energy producers, including Bosch Rexroth.

Carnegie said it has signed a collaboration MOU with a group of European power industry firms and a number of UK based wave energy developer with a common goal to reduce costs and increase reliability.

The partnership includes Carnegie’s UK subsidiary CWE UK, Bosch Rexroth, ESB, Aquamarine Power, Albatern and Manchester University’s M4M.

The team of companies will aim to produce a product known as WavePOD, a Wave Power Off-take Device, which will provide a commercial solution for the need to produce a standardised, self-contained offshore electricity generator for the wave industry to transform into electricity.

The WavePOD will comprise of a hydraulically driven generator system housed in a watertight enclosure, which will produce energy to be cabled back to shore.

Carnegie’s CTO Jonathan Fievez sai the “project provides a promising opportunity for the development of a more cost effective and reliable power production system supported by a leading European equipment manufacturer (Bosch Rexroth” and highlighted that Carnegie is a “supporter of deeper cooperation between developers and equipment manufacturers.”

Ocean technology specialist at Bosch Rexroth, Louis Verdegem, hopes that through “this collaboration we expect the use of standardised components and system architectures to accelerate learning and propel the industry forward.”

“Creating a way of converting kinetic energy into electricity is essential if we are to effectively harness the power of waves.”

Verdegem hopes that this approach will “provide a solution not just for individual developers, but for the wave energy industry as a whole”.

Verdegem also stresses that “this make the most efficient use of public and private finance” and “also help to accelerate the sector to economics maturity as quickly as possible and reduce the cost and risk to the individual device developer”.

Ocean Energy Europe trade body have welcomed the pan-industry initiative with the CEO, Dr Sian George, saying “if Europe is to turn its advantage in ocean energy technologies into a new industrial sector, collaboration will be key.”

“The WavePOD project provides a vehicle for ocean energy developers from all over Europe to work together and tackle problems in an efficient and cost effective way.”