Oyster Hydro-Electric Wave Energy Technology Launched

Wave energy firm Aquamarine Power has officially launched its Oyster wave power technology, it emerged at the end of November 2009.  Oyster represents the largest functioning hydro-electric wave energy device in operation anywhere in the world, and is sited within EMEC – the European Marine Energy Centre.  It creates power through pumping water to a linked, land-based hydro-electric turbine which, in turn, supplies energy to the national grid. 

There is only one Oyster at present, but a fleet of them is planned for the future.  A group of 20 of them – in Aquamarine’s estimation – would generate sufficient energy for the needs of 9,000 average-sized homes.

Renewable Wave Energy

Oyster is intended to function as a renewable wave energy-capture device in waters of 10 to 16 metres in depth.  The fact that its construction is relatively basic - every electrical part associated with it is on land - give it the robustness to stand up to the choppy seas that frequently occur around the Scottish coastline.

Oyster features a hinged flap that reaches down to a depth of approximately 10 metres (to where it touches the seabed).  Incoming waves cause this flap to move and, through doing this, it powers up a piston which directs water onshore, to where it can be converted into electricity. 

Hydro-Electric Wave Energy

In comments made at the official launch event for Oyster, Alex Sammond - Scotland’s First Minister - referred to the hydro-electric wave energy technology’s start of operations as “a key milestone for Aquamarine Power and for Scotland’s marine renewables sector.”

He continued: “Scotland's potential renewables capacity is estimated to be around 60GW.  Our waters hold around ten percent of Europe’s wave power potential and as much as a quarter of its tidal power potential.  The EMEC provides world-leading test facilities for Aquamarine and other companies to develop the technology needed to harness this huge untapped potential.

“This is a fantastic day for the wave energy industry and for Aquamarine Power”, Aquamarine’s CEO, Martin McAdam added.  “We have proved what we always believed – that wave energy can produce sustainable zero-emission electricity to power our homes.  The UK has one of the best wave resources in the world.  Now it also has the best technology.”

Oyster image kindly provided by and copyright of Aquamarine Power

See also:

Wave Power Technology Concept Anaconda Unveiled