In the first 18 months the MEGA WAVE PTO project has developed according to the plan, with the accomplishment of the deliverables and milestones only with minor delays from the due dates. A relevant achievement is the design and build of the 1 kW axial magnetic gear and CGEN generator, including the adequate power electronics design. The actual design parameter is not the power, it is the generator torque, rated to 1000 Nm. The work in WP2 included final manufacturing drawings, tooling/jigs, coil production and full assembly, with learning transferred to the forthcoming large scale in WP3. The small scale PTO system will be subject to experimental validation in WP10. In the end of month M18 (October 2025), the test rig adaptations and interfaces were completed, the test programme and instrumentation defined. Test runs and data analysis are planned for the next reporting period.
In parallel, a unified MATLAB/Simulink wave-to-wire framework has been established in WP4. The integrated modelling architecture comprises reduced-order models for the magnetic gear, generator and modular power electronics, as well as the wave excitation and the primary captor for three reference wave energy converter (WEC) concepts (buoy, hinged raft, submerged body), with simplified controllers and degradation/failure representations. The three reference WECs represent different power scales (up to 10 kW, 100-250 kW and up to 1 MW), underlining the modularity of the PTO system. Building on this, WP5 defined a layered controller architecture (simulation and HIL use cases) and began initial integrated controller development.
Advanced condition-monitoring and diagnostic methods were developed in WP6 to improve the reliability of the magnetic gearbox and generator, focusing on inter-turn, demagnetisation, and eccentricity faults. Fault signature analysis using validated FEA models showed that air-gap/stray-flux monitoring and novel zero-sequence flux techniques are effective where traditional methods struggle for coreless C-GEN machines.
On sustainability and economics, WP7 established the baseline LCA/LCOE framework, reference case studies, and consolidated literature and cost benchmarks to enable consistent comparisons across devices and scenarios. WP8 initiated O&M planning, including a preliminary accessibility and maintenance study considering the location of BiMEP, indicating that the modular MEGA WAVE PTO generator and power electronics can reduce downtime and increase energy yield versus “standard” PTO approaches, even under conservative repair-time assumptions.
An initial European PTO supply chain assessment in WP9 mapped electrical machines manufacturing capability and regional concentrations, analysed production, export and trade balance, and concluded that Europe remains strong in utility-class machines while facing increasing competition in lower-power segments.
