Hydro Air Concept Energy (HACE) has conducted the first launch of its 50kW wave energy prototype in the Port of La Rochelle, located in the Biscay Bay, in the western France.
The first observations are very encouraging, according to HACE President Jean Luc Stanek , who also said the device showed ‘perfect buoyancy and stability’.
“The valves responding to the slightest rippling, better than expected with a chop of 20 cm only, positive sensor test,” Stanek informed in a social media update.
HACE has over the past 4 years been developing a wave energy technology that divides the swell to recover energy from all types of waves, with the ability to produce power from small waves of up to 30 cm in height.
Following the launch, the prototype – measuring 20 by 18 meters – was rested on the ground for inspection, final adjustments, checks and various finishing touches.
“The purpose of this ‘scale one’ experiment is to confirm the results of the simulations, scale models, and 1:8 scale prototype, which show that we can produce clean energy that is almost both non-intermittent and in phase with consumption, because the chop and the small waves are always present, while the swell is stronger in the evening, and in winter, at the peak of demand,” Stanek said.
The prototype HACE wave energy device will be relaunched for two months of preliminary tests, subject to weather and securing of funding, Stanek noted.