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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Wavepiston (Competitive Wave Energy on Islands)

Teaser

Summary

Wavepiston is developed on the shoulders of the first-generation wave energy technologies. Due to its low weight, low-tech design, simple installation and operations & maintenance, Wavepiston will be the disruptive technology that can make wave energy competitive with the other renewable energy sources with the least disruption of the environment and no visual impact.
Our prototype test and Phase I feasibility study have confirmed this potential. The Wavepiston system is easy to transport on 40â€™ feet containers, is easy to assemble on site by local staff and can be deployed from a regular tugboat, just like operations and maintenance can be carried out without expensive specialists.
In the Phase 2 project, we will install a full-scale Wavepiston demonstration system in Gran Canaria to demonstrate the energy potential, durability and survivability ensuring a low cost per kWh.
From a commercial point of view, our first goal is to contribute to decarbonization of islands and remote coastal areas, for which we already have interested clients at Malta, Canary Islands, Sardinia, Marshall Islands, Philippines and the Maldives.

Work performed

The Phase 2 project plan has been structured in 5 work packages to be developed in 24 months as follows:
- WP1 Management
- WP2 Preparation for the full-scale demonstration
- WP3 Manufacturing demonstration system and site installation
- WP4 Demonstration and qualification
- WP5 Business plan, commercial exploitation and dissemination.

We are currently preparing the full-scale demonstration system.

The full demosntration system is ready for manufacture and we held conversations to fulfill our business and commercialization plan with different public and private stakeholders in different islands.

Final results

The overall project goal is to demonstrate the competitiveness of the Wavepiston system to supply clean electricity harvested from the energy in the waves. As we are testing at PLOCAN, an ocean platform located in an island (our targeted type of customer), we expect both to contribute and benefit from the interaction with local stakeholders, in terms of know-how for electricity and pre-commercial possibilities.
The highest environmental and social impact of the Wavepiston system:
- Low visual impact: It cannot be seen from shore, except for the top of the 2 buoys
- Low sound impact: It cannot be heard from shore.
The system can be in habited areas including tourist areas, an important source of income, hence visual and sound impact are important factors.
- Low environmental impact: The patented innovation in our system compensates forces so the need of mooring and structural components are reduced significantly. This also reduces the weight per MW significantly.
During Phase 2 more studies are taking place and measures being implemented to reduce impact to the sea ecosystem.
- Low costs: Due to the low weight, the design for automated manufacturing, and easy logistics, we can achieve a competitive cost level.
- All of the above contributes for island and coastal communities as customers, specially the small ones, usually dependent on the natural ecosystems, both at sea and land, to benefit from a clean, non-intrusive energy system compatible with local livelihoods.
Wavepiston has the potential for water desalination, which is being studied and tested in another project. This will add to local communitiesâ€™ welfare.
Regarding economic potential impact, during the Phase 2 project we will prepare the first commercial projects together with professional energy project developers. This will enable us to start the commercialisation right after the finalisation of the present Phase 2 project.