Wave Dragon prepares for plunge

[skids]

Yet another wave power machine. This one is an "overtopping barge".

Wave Dragon Ltd has submitted three offshore consents to the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) and to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) who now have several weeks to consider the proposals. Any concerns arising will be discussed with Wave Dragon before a formal discussion is made. It\u2019s a crucial phase after 20 years of research and development.

If all goes well, the final design will be on the table by the end of 2007. The construction will then begin in January 2008, after which the 7 MW Wave Dragon will be launched off the coast of Pembrokeshire in the summer of 2008.

The unit\u2019s maximum capacity is 7 MW, but the expected output at the Pembrokeshire locations is only 2 to 4 MW, says UK manager Iain Russell. The annual power production will be about 10 GWh, enough for 2,500 to 3,000 houses.

The unit will be tested for 3 to 5 years. Eventually, another 9 units should be joined in to establish a wave energy farm with a peak power of 70 MW.


The Wave Dragon on test in Denmark - Photo: Wave Dragon Ltd

The Wave Dragon is a large floating barge that produces energy directly from the power of the water. The construction is so that waves get amplified as they roll up to the barge. Eventually they top over and spill water onto the deck, from which the water drops down via a low-head hydro generator.

http://www.greenprices.com/eu/newsletter/GPBE_51_070510/WaveDragon.asp