Carnegie Clean Energy completed the foundation structures of its unit CETO wave energy at scale, leaving one of the key elements ready to begin its deployment in the Bizkaia Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP).
The facility is part of the ACHIEVE program and will advance through a phased process that will include deployment, commissioning and a subsequent testing phase in real sea conditions.
The deployment of CETO will begin with the floating actuator
The completion of the foundation structures will allow the deployment of the CETO floating actuator to begin in October, marking the first phase of the planned installation BiMEP.
Meanwhile, Carnegie Clean Energy continues to make progress on other essential components of the system, the assembly of the power take-off (PTO) modules is already underway and includes the integration of the equipment responsible for transforming the movement of the device into electricity.
At the same time, the manufacturing of the modular floating actuator is nearing completion in the Basque Country. Once finished, the component will be transported to the port to begin the preparatory work prior to its installation at sea.
How does CETO technology generate electricity?
CETO is a converter of wave energy it is a point absorber designed to operate fully submerged, the system uses a buoy installed several meters below the sea surface. Wave motion causes the device to move, and this mechanical energy powers the power take-off system.
Subsequently, the PTO converts that movement into electricity, by operating below the surface, the technology seeks to harness the energy of the waves through a configuration less exposed to the surface conditions of the sea.
The PTO modules will be part of the second phase
In parallel with the preparations for the floating actuator, the PTO modules will undergo testing to verify the operation of the power generation system before their offshore installation. These components will be incorporated during the second phase of CETO’s deployment at BiMEP.
The phased installation strategy will allow for progressively verifying the operation of the different systems before completing the final configuration of the unit.
The work is being carried out within the ACHIEVE program, while the manufacturing, integration and preparation of the main components of the converter are progressing wave energy.
CETO will be tested for two years at BiMEP
Once the deployment and commissioning are complete, the CETO unit will remain operational at BiMEP for a planned period of two years.
During this stage, the system will collect information on its performance in real marine conditions, the data obtained will serve to evaluate the behavior of the technology, validate its integrated operation, and support the next steps toward its commercialization.
With the foundation structures now complete, the project enters a new phase focused on the offshore installation of the floating actuator, the PTO modules and the rest of the systems needed to generate electricity from wave energy.
Source: Offshore Energy
Photo: Shutterstock
