Inspenet, May 25, 2023
The Swedish company, CorPower Ocean developed CorPower C4, huge buoys that generate electricity with the waves of the sea. The buoys are connected to the seabed by means of a tensioned mooring system. A converter is installed inside the buoy that absorbs and amplifies the oscillations of the waves and converts them into electricity.
This first prototype of a commercial-scale wave energy converter successfully completed the tests for its deployment on the high seas, in Aguçadoura (Portugal), giving rise to one of the first wave farms, worldwide, connected to the grid.
CorPower Ocean’s Director of Integration and Testing, Jean-Michel Chauvet, said: “Bringing our first C4 machine to commercial scale through assembly and testing, preparing for the ocean, is a great achievement for our team.”
He added: “Designing the world’s most efficient wave technology is one thing, getting it through manufacturing, assembly and testing takes even more effort. We are working to make wave power a reliable and competitive source of clean electricity, and we are proud to show the C4 system in its final state.”
CorPower C4: The promise of a giant buoy marine farm that will revolutionize power generation
This modular approach that the company talks about is based on a grouping of several identical units, creating a maritime energy farm. A 10MW ‘CorPack’ group consists of 28 units. Inside each of the buoys, there is a converter that amplifies the natural curves of the waves to convert them into electricity.
The CorPower C4 will be towed to the installation site and attached to the UMACK anchor pre-installed on the seabed. A pull line arrangement located at the head of the anchor allows installation and retrieval from the surface of the power converter. Fiber and air communication has been established for remote control from the CorPower Ocean control center in Stockholm.
Inspired by the human heart, the CorPower C4 uses hydraulic pressure to generate power in both directions.
This technology is inspired by the pumping principle of the human heart, which uses stored hydraulic pressure to provide force for the return stroke, thus only requiring the heart muscles to pump in one direction.
Similarly, CorPower C4 buoys use a pre-tension system to pull the buoy down. The waves push the buoy up, while the stored pressure provides return force to propel the buoy down. This results in equal power output in both directions.
CorPower C4 offers three times more energy than a traditional offshore wind farm
The company claims that its solution is capable of offering up to three times more energy than a conventional offshore wind farm. Each buoy is expected to be capable of offering up to 300 kW, which would be equivalent to supplying around 100 homes. Commercialization is expected for 2025.
Photos : https://corpowerocean.com/
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