Global Renewable Solutions (GRS), an Australian-based renewable energy developer, is conducting tests on its Power Platform which combines the existing offshore wind and wave technologies into a single modular structure.
The Power Platform leverages the current level of offshore know-how in the oil and gas sector of structures, foundations, umbilical connections and maintenance.
GRS is working closely with Wood Group Kenny, a subsea engineering services provider, and with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and MaREI, for the development of the device capable of producing economically viable energy from the ocean.
The triangular shaped 1:20 scale Power Platform is currently being tested at MaREI testing centre in Ireland.
The researchers are conducting tests on the installation methodology which will continue for one more month, as the first phase of testing at this scale, in order to devise marine operation methods for the device.
The device comprises 6 oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy devices, and a single wind turbine. The full-scale device will have a total installed capacity of 6 MW – six 500 kW OWC generators, and one 3 MW wind turbine.
There are no moving parts in the water, reducing the operating expenses for the device, and the energy from the Power Platform is exported via a J-tube on the seabed, to the substation positioned onshore.
The second phase of the testing at MaREI will begin in August, comprising the tests of the 1:20 scale OWCs on the device, already tested at 1:40 scale.
Following the August trials, the company will focus on the quarter scale development of the Power Platform.