Spain set to get table-top-like submerged sea wave energy converter (original) (raw)
The submerged design of wave energy converter is marine-life friendly and also stays out of sight of beach goers.
Updated: Apr 18, 2024 06:12 AM EST
CETO, the submerged wave energy generator.
A fully submerged wave energy converter (WEC) system designed by Irish company CETO Wave Energy Ireland (CWEI) has passed a crucial step and has been approved for deployment in Basque Country, Spain, a company press release said.
CWEI has been granted the Authorisation to Proceed (ATP) by EuropeWave, a European research and development project exclusively for WECs.
Like wind and solar energy, the waves of the sea also have an unlimited supply of energy that can be tapped into to meet global energy needs. With countries looking to phase out fossil fuels from their energy consumption, there is a push to develop newer ways of tapping into this renewable energy source, and projects like EuropeWave aid in their development.
Interesting Engineering has previously reported on multiple designs for WEC, each attempting to maximize the energy output with its rhythmic motion on the surface of the waves. CETO design is slightly different since the WEC is fully submerged under the water.
Fully submerged WEC design
Named after the Greek sea goddess, CETO is a fully submerged WEC that uses point absorber-type wave energy technology. The WEC unit consists of a buoy that sits a few meters below the ocean’s surface and moves with the waves.
The device can be installed at various water depths and seafloor conditions. So, it can be installed away from storm waves and from the sight of beachgoers at popular shores.
The device’s design ensures that it has a minimal visual impact and can coexist with marine life. It is attached to the sea floor with a mooring system, and the carbon-free electricity generated by the buoyant actuator is removed from the system by a dynamic cable.
The system is entirely modular and can be arranged in arrays to provide clean and green energy to the grid.
Parts of the CETO Energy Converter developed by Carnegie Clean Energy. Image credit: Carnegie Clean Energy.
Deployment in Spain
CWEI submitted documents showcasing the technical, financial, regulatory, and safety aspects of the design to attain the ATP milestone. After being reviewed by a Buyers Group at EuropeWave, the technology has been approved for a prototype deployment at the Basque Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) in Spain.
The CETO prototype will operate for two years at the open ocean site, and data collected during operation will be used to validate the technology and its performance further.
The deployment is part of EuropeWave, a Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) program established as a collaboration between Wave Energy Scotland (WES), the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), and Ocean Energy Europe(OEE). The program has a 22 million euro (US$23.5 million) fund for advancing wave energy projects in the region.
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“Passing the Authorisation to Proceed (ATP) milestone of the EuropeWave contract is a testament to the team’s hard work and vision and will be a key strategic step in CETO’s commercialization journey,” said Miguel Santos Herrá, the project manager at CWEI in the press release.
“For us, this is an exciting green light. We keep taking important steps towards being grid-connected and generating renewable electricity from waves in the Basque Country.”
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Ameya Paleja Ameya is a science writer based in Hyderabad, India. A Molecular Biologist at heart, he traded the micropipette to write about science during the pandemic and does not want to go back. He likes to write about genetics, microbes, technology, and public policy.