OES Annual Report 2012 - Ocean Energy Systems
OES Annual Report 2012 - Ocean Energy Systems
OES Annual Report 2012 - Ocean Energy Systems
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76<br />
The <strong>Ocean</strong>ic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) is a Public Consortium aimed to build and operate<br />
an offshore infrastructure to facilitate and accelerate the development of new oceanic technologies.<br />
PLOCAN is ruled by the Spanish Government (50%) and the Regional Government of the Canary Islands<br />
(50%). This Consortium is placed on the island of Gran Canaria. PLOCAN offers a marine test site for ocean<br />
energy converters prototypes. The submarine electrical infrastructure is being designed (expected to be<br />
installed by the end of 2013) offering the required grid connection. The initial capacity is 15 MW with a<br />
future extension planned up to 50 MW by 2020. Main technologies on testing will be related to waves and<br />
offshore wind conversion. PLOCAN provides facilities to raise public funds aimed to develop innovative<br />
projects in the test site:<br />
ÌÌ<br />
INNPACTO WAVE ENERGY (IWE) is a project partially funded by the Spanish Government (2010-2013)<br />
and lead by the Spanish company PIPO <strong>Systems</strong>. Its main aim is to extend the concept of APC-PISYS<br />
technology looking for new applications. As expected, the first prototype was successfully deployed in<br />
October <strong>2012</strong> at PLOCAN’s test site (Gran Canaria) for operational assessment.<br />
ÌÌ<br />
UNDIGEN is a project partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (2011-<br />
2013). The Spanish company WEDGE GLOBAL leads the consortium formed by FCC, CIEMAT and PLOCAN.<br />
UNDIGEN is aimed to design, build and deploy a new wave energy converter prototype with a capacity of<br />
150 kW. After completion of the mechanical and electrical design phase during <strong>2012</strong>, as well as the studies<br />
related to the operation site, deployment is expected by October 2013.<br />
Both prototypes will have grid connection by the end of 2013 when the electrical infrastructure of PLOCAN<br />
is available.<br />
New Developments<br />
<strong>Ocean</strong> Power Technologies (OPT) is developing a new wave energy device (PowerBuoy®) in the Spanish<br />
coast under the WavePort EU project. In this project, OPT is collaborating in a consortium with University of<br />
Exeter, UK Intelligent <strong>Systems</strong> Research Institute, Fugro <strong>Ocean</strong>or, Wave <strong>Energy</strong> Centre (WavEC) and Degima<br />
SA. The project will build, deploy and demonstrate a commercial scale PowerBuoy® wave energy converter<br />
with an innovative Real Time Wave by Wave Tuning System. Forward knowledge of the approaching wavetrain<br />
delivered by the prediction system will allow advanced control of the PowerBuoy®, recovering more<br />
energy from the ocean and substantially improving the device efficiency. This will drive down the levelized<br />
cost of energy. The project has progressed well and the consortium forecasts deployment of the PowerBuoy<br />
and completion on the sea trials during 2013 and 2014.<br />
Abengoa (MCE: ABG), an international company that applies innovative technology solutions for<br />
sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, has set up a new business unit for ocean<br />
energy: Abengoa Seapower. One of the first activities of Abengoa Seapower has been its participation<br />
in the launch of Nautimus, the first ocean energy engineering firm. Nautimus, based in Scotland, is the<br />
world’s first engineering services company dedicated to wave and tidal energy. It has been established by<br />
Vattenfall, with support from Babcock and Abengoa. The company will fulfil the engineering, procurement,<br />
integration and construction (EPC) needs of wave power and tidal stream projects on behalf of utility<br />
clients.<br />
Galicia Mar Renovables (GMR): During 2009, GMR tested in Ares Sea (A Coruña) a scaled 1:10 prototype<br />
of its wave energy converter: a floating point absorber with mechanical PTO. The next steps were the<br />
development and installation of a full-scale device in 2010 and a preindustrial prototype in the summer of<br />
2011. This prototype generated 184 kWh with an installed capacity of 250 kWh during some trials without<br />
optimal sea conditions. These tests were partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, <strong>Energy</strong> and<br />
Tourism. In <strong>2012</strong>, GMR has started the consenting process to install two wave energy farms in Ferrol and<br />
Gijón, including an agreement between GMR and Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA). The Ferrol wave<br />
power plant is expected to be in operation in 2014.<br />
ANNUAL<br />
REPORT <strong>2012</strong>
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