Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IMPACT (Innovative Methods for wave energy Pathways Acceleration through novel Criteria and Test rigs)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-07-01 bis 2024-06-30
The ocean energy sector is still at a premature development stage with respect to other renewable energy sources. In particular, wave energy has not progressed as quickly as expected, with only a small number of devices developed in real sea conditions and no full-scale arrays installed to date. On the other hand, the European Commission expects that oceans will source a relevant part of the renewable energy mix, with targets of 1GW by 2030 and 40GW by 2050.
One of the main causes for wave devices has been identified to be the lack of a holistic energy system approach. The integration of key subsystems such as the Power Take-Off (PTO), control, mooring/ballasting and core structure has usually been neglected in the initial design, often leading to critical design issues or to an increase in the overall device costs during the following development phases. Moreover, the cost of testing can also become a barrier towards technology development and subsystems integration.
The IMPACT project developed and demonstrated a next-generation testing approach for Wave Energy Converters (WECs). A 250kW Dual Hardware-In-the-Loop (DHIL) testing platform was designed and manufactured, expanding the capabilities of the already established Hardware-In-the-Loop technique.
The proposed testing approach includes the application of methodologies and metrics, primarily focused on the key evaluation areas of reliability, performance and survivability.
The outputs publicly shared by the project can contribute to a drastic acceleration in the development of wave energy converters through laboratory tests, leading to a rapid advancement from TRL 3 to TRL 5 and over.
One of the main causes for wave devices has been identified to be the lack of a holistic energy system approach. The integration of key subsystems such as the Power Take-Off (PTO), control, mooring/ballasting and core structure has usually been neglected in the initial design, often leading to critical design issues or to an increase in the overall device costs during the following development phases. Moreover, the cost of testing can also become a barrier towards technology development and subsystems integration.
The IMPACT project developed and demonstrated a next-generation testing approach for Wave Energy Converters (WECs). A 250kW Dual Hardware-In-the-Loop (DHIL) testing platform was designed and manufactured, expanding the capabilities of the already established Hardware-In-the-Loop technique.
The proposed testing approach includes the application of methodologies and metrics, primarily focused on the key evaluation areas of reliability, performance and survivability.
The outputs publicly shared by the project can contribute to a drastic acceleration in the development of wave energy converters through laboratory tests, leading to a rapid advancement from TRL 3 to TRL 5 and over.
The first reporting period included the definition of the test rig input parameters, involving four different technical areas: mechanical, electrical, techno-economic and environmental. The data were gathered from internal project activities, literature review, market analysis and indications from Technical Advisory Board members.
In particular:
• the mechanical input parameters considered the output results of simulation activities modelling three types of devices in different deployment sites and operative conditions.
• The electrical input parameters included the review of grid codes (and their future trends), the development of a wave-to-wire simulation model and the definition of possible electrical layouts.
• The techno-economic activity included a reliability analysis and a techno-economic assessment to track in several scenarios how the most relevant metrics can change.
• The environmental assessment included the research of results from different sources to outline the most frequently studied environmental impacts of wave energy devices to the marine environment.
The input parameters have been harmonized in form of specifications to be taken into account during the design phase of each rig.
Activities of the second reporting period were focused on achieving the following four objectives:
- the development, fabrication and commissioning of two novel Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) test rigs
- design and realization of a Dual Hardware-in-the-Loop (DHIL) testing platform
- definition of novel methodologies and clear quantitative, test-derived metrics
- experimental test campaign involving subsystems of a WEC device to demonstrate the two HIL test rigs, DHIL testing platform, novel methodologies and metrics suitability.
Finally, the activities and knowledge developed within the project were also shared externally, through a mix of communication and dissemination activities:
• maintenance and update of the website https://www.impact-h2020.eu(öffnet in neuem Fenster) with news, blogs, work package descriptions and press releases also with link to open document repository.
• Published eight technical blogs.
• Final Plan for Exploitation and Dissemination of Results submitted.
• Upload of public data on IMPACT Zenodo site established in the first reporting period as an open repository.
• Creation and update of LinkedIn page for the project.
• Ten peer reviewed papers published.
• 13 Posters and talks at different conferences of the sector.
• 14 project newsletters.
• Two technical workshops
• One joint webinar
In particular:
• the mechanical input parameters considered the output results of simulation activities modelling three types of devices in different deployment sites and operative conditions.
• The electrical input parameters included the review of grid codes (and their future trends), the development of a wave-to-wire simulation model and the definition of possible electrical layouts.
• The techno-economic activity included a reliability analysis and a techno-economic assessment to track in several scenarios how the most relevant metrics can change.
• The environmental assessment included the research of results from different sources to outline the most frequently studied environmental impacts of wave energy devices to the marine environment.
The input parameters have been harmonized in form of specifications to be taken into account during the design phase of each rig.
Activities of the second reporting period were focused on achieving the following four objectives:
- the development, fabrication and commissioning of two novel Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) test rigs
- design and realization of a Dual Hardware-in-the-Loop (DHIL) testing platform
- definition of novel methodologies and clear quantitative, test-derived metrics
- experimental test campaign involving subsystems of a WEC device to demonstrate the two HIL test rigs, DHIL testing platform, novel methodologies and metrics suitability.
Finally, the activities and knowledge developed within the project were also shared externally, through a mix of communication and dissemination activities:
• maintenance and update of the website https://www.impact-h2020.eu(öffnet in neuem Fenster) with news, blogs, work package descriptions and press releases also with link to open document repository.
• Published eight technical blogs.
• Final Plan for Exploitation and Dissemination of Results submitted.
• Upload of public data on IMPACT Zenodo site established in the first reporting period as an open repository.
• Creation and update of LinkedIn page for the project.
• Ten peer reviewed papers published.
• 13 Posters and talks at different conferences of the sector.
• 14 project newsletters.
• Two technical workshops
• One joint webinar
The Drivetrain and Structural Components rigs were designed according to the specifications gathered during the first reporting period and demonstrated to address the needs of the ocean energy technologies by providing a testing facility that will target different subsystems and components (PTO, power conversion, control and instrumentation, moorings, power cables, sealing systems, mechanical interfaces).
The Dual HIL testing platform will be used after the IMPACT project as SWEET Lab testing facility (https://vga-srl.webflow.io/news-post/discover-sweet-lab(öffnet in neuem Fenster)) for accelerating development of wave energy converters.
This will help in reducing the cost of the ocean energy technology development pathways by accelerating the technical maturity of the WECs by de-risking them through rig testing, thus reducing the probability of encountering failures during the following phase of sea trials.
The Dual HIL testing platform will be used after the IMPACT project as SWEET Lab testing facility (https://vga-srl.webflow.io/news-post/discover-sweet-lab(öffnet in neuem Fenster)) for accelerating development of wave energy converters.
This will help in reducing the cost of the ocean energy technology development pathways by accelerating the technical maturity of the WECs by de-risking them through rig testing, thus reducing the probability of encountering failures during the following phase of sea trials.