Trident to test wave power device off Suffolk coast
Tuesday 02 September 2008
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| The Trident wave power generator has only one moving part per generator, and uses no hydraulics or air compression equipment. |
Renewables developer Trident Energy is set to begin a year-long trial of its wave power technology off the coast of East Anglia, with a view to developing a 1MW commercial-scale rig, writes Rachel Johnson.
Nicknamed Trident Energy 3, the wave power converter is currently being constructed at the site six miles off the coast of Southwold by Lowestoft-based marine engineers Small & Co.
The developers hope it will be cleared to start operations sometime this autumn, following the completion of the final permits and approvals process, and the acquisition of a Crown Estate lease.
Essex-based Trident will be testing the device for "performance data and operational capability" - to find out how much power it can produce - and the energy generated will be "burnt off" at sea, since the device will not be connected to the grid.
However, the 12-month trial is being carried out with a view to designing and commissioning the company's first full-scale rig, which would be scaled to have a potential energy capacity of 1MW.
A spokeswoman for Trident Energy told New Energy Focus: "The goal is the full commercialisation of the technology, although obviously it depends on the results of the trial. Once we've collected all the data, then we can evaluate what the next step is."
Technology
The Trident Energy 3 wave power device uses technology called the Direct Energy Conversion Method (DECM), a patented generation process developed by Trident to derive electricity directly from ocean waves. Floats placed in the sea capture wave energy and drive linear generators, resulting in immediate production of energy.
Unlike a lot of marine renewable power devices, the DECM technology does not use hydraulics or air compression to generate electricity, which cuts the cost of construction, installation and maintenance.
The company claims that as this technology uses only one principal moving part per converter, it is the simplest marine renewable energy generation system available.
Using our technology to harness economic electricity from the power of the sea could make an immense contribution to the fight against climate change.
Hugh-Peter Kelly, founder and managing director of Trident Energy, said: "Using our technology to harness economic electricity from the power of the sea could make an immense contribution to the fight against climate change."
The rig currently situated in the North Sea is the first of the company's products to be tested in the ocean.
Founded in December 2003, Trident Energy has been working on the development of a low-cost, environmentally low-impact commercial marine power generator since April 2004.
Staffed by a team of engineers, scientists and technicians, Trident Energy has worked in collaboration with the University of Cambridge developing a series of proprietary models which have been used to predict system performance ahead of periods of controlled testing.
The company said tank test results have all been consistent with predictions, validating the effectiveness of the modelling software.
In addition, the company says it aims to market its technology worldwide and plans to become a major supplier in the marine renewable energy sector.
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