Wave Dragon Ltd, is a leading developer in Wave Energy technology, and are proposing the world’s largest wave energy converter at a location off the Pembrokeshire Coast (Wales).
The Wave Dragon (WD) is a floating, slack-moored energy converter of the over topping type that can be deployed in a single unit or in groups which provides a power plant with a capacity comparable to traditional fossil-fuel based power plants.
The first grid connected prototype was deployed in Nissum Bredning, Denmark. Long term testing is carried out to determine system performance; i.e. availability and power production in different sea states.
Another demonstrator device is to be located 2 – 3 miles off the South West Wales coast, off Milford Haven, and covers an area of approximately 0.25 km2.
The applications for consent was submitted by April 2007. If consent is granted device construction will start and deployment at site is proposed to be summer 2009.
The device is intended to be tested for 3-5 years, whereupon it will be removed from the site and the site decommissioned.
WD is developing this device, and cites three good reasons for this technology:
Three good reasons …
1. The concept combines existing, mature offshore and hydro turbine technology in a novel way.
2. The only wave energy converter technology under development that can be freely up-scaled.
3. Due to its size service, maintenance and even major repair works can be carried out at sea leading to low operating and maintenance cost relatively to other concepts.
WD is partner in the Tecdragon SA which is developing a 50 MW wave energy project in Portugal. More information is available at the WD Website.
See the other wave devices: Aquabuoy and Biopower.
