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Sustainable Economically Efficient Wave Energy Converter

Objective

The SEEWEC project presents a robust floating wave energy converter: the FO³, meant to be installed near shore and intended to lead to competitive and economically effective exploitation of wave energy along European coasts. The FO³ is designed to deliver electricity at a lower cost than offshore wind farms. For its design, key knowledge from the past is taken into account.

The general objective of SEEWEC is to assist in the development of a 2nd generation FO³ wave energy converter through extensive use of the experience from monitoring a 1:3 laboratory rig and a 1st generation 1:1 prototype. The project will focus on cost effective solutions and design for large scale (mass) manufacturing.

The specific objectives of SEEWEC are:
- To gain knowledge about the FO³ performance in real sea conditions through field monitoring of the 1:3 scale laboratory rig and the full scale first generation device;
- To refine the platform design: refine the device towards a second generation envisaged for commercial use. This objective includes the enhancement of the wave converter's survivability and safety of performance and also the optimization of wave energy absorption;
- To choose and develop composite material for eggs, rig and other selected components; and design material manufacturing process for cost effective large scale production:
- To optimize the power conversion solution: this includes an optimization of power generation and transmission system;
- To define the deployment mode of platforms into a farm: define lay-out of platforms in a multi-unit plant for optimum energy absorption potential and safety;
- To enhance survivability of the wave converter: covers both overall survivability of the platform(s) and operational safety of working components.

The expected results of SEEWEC is an optimized design for a 2nd generation full scale FO³ converter which will over time have an installed cost per kW which is lower than the equivalent for offshore wind energy.

Call for proposal

FP6-2004-ENERGY-3
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Coordinator

UNIVERSITEIT GENT
EU contribution
No data
Address
Sint Pietersnieuwstraat 25
GENT
Belgium

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Participants (10)