Plymouth sounds out a new power technology
Researchers in the UK are paying close attention to an object bobbing up and down in the approaches to Plymouth Sound on the south coast of Britain. The four and a half metre wide and 12 metre deep structure is not an unidentified sea monster but a special new device designed to generate electricity by harnessing energy from the tip of a wave. Scientists from the University of Plymouth have been developing the new hydroelectric device since January 1999, with financial support from the European Commission's CRAFT scheme. The Plymouth team has collaborated with researchers from across Europe to come up with a new approach to the challenge of catching and storing wave energy. The device, now patented by British SME (small or medium sized enterprise) Embley Energy ltd, is based on the principle of multiple water columns which oscillate with the movement of ocean waves so that air displaced above the water columns drives a turbine which generates power. 'Whilst still at an early stage, research work to date indicates that the device will generate electricity more efficiently and in a greater quantity than in previous attempts,' reports the Plymouth team. 'Unlike many other devices, this device is actually a free-floating buoy, which means not only can it move with the waves to better withstand storm conditions, but there are also fewer limitations as to where it can be situated.' The researchers believe the technology can be used to supply power to remote islands and offshore installations, where communities are currently dependent on expensive traditional power sources. 'Sea waves are a renewable resource, and wave energy technology can provide a clean, unobtrusive and cost-effective alternative,' say the researchers. In the longer term, they hope the power generated from this technology could serve coastal towns, contribute to regional power requirements, and ultimately supplement national electricity networks with no pollution or toxic residues. The research team will spend the next six months monitoring and evaluating the device using data transmitted back to an onshore laboratory.