Research & Development
Research & Development
Proud to be one of the longest-standing companies in wave power research and development.
AWS Ocean Energy is very active in the field of research and development. During our 18 year history, we have investigated a wide range of concepts and have maintained an open mind seeking to find a solution to the difficult challenge of generating power from ocean waves.
We focus on how a concept can be built, operated and maintained in the harsh marine environment offshore. Our involvement ranges from concept development and testing, to scale model development and control environment testing across a range of exciting areas. Find out more about our recent projects below.
AWS are currently developing a partial scale Waveswing device in the third stage of Wave Energy Scotland’s Novel Wave Energy Converter program.
Following the semi-final 1:50 scale trials and numerous technical submissions, team Waveswing America was selected as one of only 9 teams to progress to the finals of the Wave Energy Prize and claimed third place.
In November 2014, AWS completed the large scale installation of a single AWS-III power generating cassette at Lyness quay, Orkney. The purpose of the test was to demonstrate one large scale AWS-III wave energy absorber (a “cassette”) in a real sea environment.
AWS were proud to be contracted to Wave Energy Scotland for the development of the advanced Archimedes Waveswing. Although development of the Waveswing has been ongoing for nearly 20 years, recent advances have transformed the economic prospects for the device. The Wave Energy Scotland project has allowed us to examine these advances in detail and to re-confirm the business case for the advanced Waveswing.
The project scope included further development of our numerical models, 1:20 scale tank testing, validation of numerical models using experimental data, fronted engineering of a 50kW Waveswing device and parametric modelling to optimise the economic performance. The project concluded in February 2017.
In November and December of 2011, the team at AWS designed and built a 1:15 scale model of the AWS-III dodecagon for tank testing in a controlled environment. In late December 2011, the model was shipped to MARIN in the Netherlands for the test campaign to begin. The purpose of this was to validate numerical models- projecting device performance. Information from these tests was also used to optimise the device, to enhance the design further resulting in more power being generated.
In summer of 2010, the AWS team designed, built, launched, operated and maintained a scale model of the AWS-III technology in Loch Ness, Scotland. The purpose of the tests was to prove the AWS-III concept, prior to developing a much more scientific model for testing in a controlled environment. The tests were successful and during the test programme we experienced a range of wave conditions. You can see video footage of the tests here.
In September 2014, AWS started work on an “Intelligent Active Mooring System” to help reduce the mooring costs of marine energy technologies by mitigation of peak loads in mooring systems.
The project proposes development of an innovative technology under the Innovate UK Offshore Infrastructures theme of Support Structures by a collaborative team engaging a company and technology from outside the offshore renewables sector. The key aim of this project is to further develop a technology which will significantly reduce the cost of mooring wave, tidal and floating wind installations through mooring load control and subsequent reduction of structural loads on a floating device. The components have already been tested and proven but require modification for application within the marine renewables industry.
