WEP+: Wave+ Energy Project

This project aims to improve and demonstrate the reliability and performance of the electronics of the W1 wave energy converter as well as to demonstrate and validate it in a real marine grid connected to the Las Palmas harbour network.

The lessons learned from this project can be applied by the École Centrale de Nantes in the vicinity of the SEMREV test bed (Le Croisic peninsula and local fishing port such as La Turballe) and by Aquatera’s global presence in ports around the world. The intention is to progress Wedge Global’s technology from TRL 6 to TRL 7.

TRL 6. Since 15 January 2014, Wedge Global has been continuously testing its floating point absorber with direct drive linear generator W1 in the ocean at PLOCAN and in the port of Las Palmas.

TRL 7. The scope of work in the framework of the WEP+ project includes the design, manufacture and installation of power and control electronics for the connection of the W1 device to the Las Palmas port network.

The energy systems of interest in this project are wave energy converters (WECs) connected to the electricity grid that convert the energy generated by the waves into electricity. The aim of the project is to reduce the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) to make it economically attractive in island ports affected by high energy costs.

The project leverages and builds on an existing WEC design that incorporates the results of nine years of development, large-scale laboratory validation testing and open ocean testing. This development and operational experience has identified design improvements and other innovations that will result in reduced energy costs. Improvements and innovations include modifications to the power electronics that will enable grid connection, changes to sensors and controllers that will provide the basis for advanced knowledge of wave characteristics, and configuration changes that will increase wave-to-electricity conversion efficiency. The resulting WEC system will be subjected to rigorous testing and
characterisation in the port of Las Palmas, Canary Islands.