Denmark grants funds for Crestwing’s wave energy device optimisation

The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Aarhus University (AU) have teamed up on a research project that aims to optimise the efficiency of Crestwing’s wave energy converter.

Waves are an enormous untapped energy resource which should be investigated further, according to Jens Honore Walther from DTU and Peter Enevoldsen from AU.

Therefore, the two researchers have joined forces to apply to the Danish Independent Research Fund for a research grant to optimise the wave energy system developed by the Denmark-based company Crestwing.

The three-year project, which has since been approved for DKK 6.2 million (a little over €830,000) grant, will streamline the existing Crestwing’s wave energy plant in order to improve its hydrodynamic properties as well as production costs, operation and maintenance.

The wave energy company will deliver collected data and results from pool tests at the Danish Hydraulic Institute and Aalborg University, as well as data from its successful offshore test in the Kattegat with the prototype device Tordenskiold.

“Crestwing works with an innovative approach to wave energy, which is interesting for a research project. They are basically open to input and ideas from outside, which fits in well with the universities’ collaborative vision”, said Honore Walther.

The funding will be used to investigate, develop and use simulation tools to unravel the underlying physics and identify key parameters for optimizing the plant both in terms of efficiency and cost, said Peter Enevoldsen from AU.

“We are part of an interdisciplinary collaboration between the parties to provide as holistic a bid as possible on how wave energy systems from Crestwing can be optimised”, Enevoldsen said.

In this project, the researchers have also reached out to leading experts in the field from Harvard and Stanford universities.