UMass Dartmouth scientists get $240K for wave research

The researchers from the UMass Dartmouth have received $239,898 through the Commonwealth’s Seaport Economic Council Program to conduct research and development activities in wave energy.

The team from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth is designing a flexible, tethered line to replace the rigid spar used for some wave energy devices, which, the team says, is costly to design and manufacture, and difficult to manage and maintain in the ocean.

The research has the potential to dramatically reduce manufacturing and deployment costs associated with traditional wave energy generators, making devices smaller, easier to use, and more cost effective, according to the Massachusetts government.

Daniel MacDonald, UMass Dartmouth Civil & Environmental Engineering Associate Professor who designed the technology in collaboration with engineering consulting firm Boston Engineering, said:

“This is a critical time in the ocean wave energy industry as it offers a still untapped, but significant resource for renewable energy. Our technological improvements for current wave energy devices are simple, yet may represent a game changer in the wave energy industry. This project will also contribute to the growth of the South Coast as a hub for marine renewable energy research and development.”

The lighter-weight tether, along with a ballast device at its bottom end, is designed to move down quickly down through the water, but rise up through the water at a much slower rate, while maintaining the line always under tension.

This effectively holds the base of the wave energy device fixed, while the buoy portion rises and falls against it, allowing a variety of methods to convert that motion into electricity, according to the UMass Dartmouth.

The University informed that it has filed for a patent for MacDonald to pursue this wave energy design.

MacDonald and his collaborators hope this will serve as a convenient and low-cost alternative to the conventional method of manufacturing and deploying heavy steel spars into the ocean.

“We are so pleased to continue our collaborative work with UMass Dartmouth and push maritime innovation here on the SouthCoast at the University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The technology could also scale over time to someday complement wind, solar, nuclear, and fossil fuel contributions to the electricity grid,” added Boston Engineering’s Roger Race.

Seaport Economic Council grants are awarded on a competitive basis, and offer flexible funding to empower communities to bring forward the best ideas and projects for cultivating and stimulating the maritime economic sector and growing jobs.

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