Wärtsilä to supply WaveRoller parts

Wärtsilä has been hired to supply components for AW-Energy’s WaveRoller wave energy device.

The key components to be supplied by the Finnish manufacturer of power generation equipment Wärtsilä include metallic bearing housings, composite bearings, lip seals and hydraulic couplings.

Wärtsilä will also provide the necessary installation services for the sub-assemblies for the 350kW WaveRoller device.

The device is planned for installation at Peniche, off the coast of Portugal, where it will remain under trials for a year.

Les Creak, General Manager at Wärtsilä Hydro & Industrial Services, said: “Harnessing the energy of the oceans is one answer to the world’s growing need of renewable energy resources. Emission-free wave energy has great commercial potential, and Wärtsilä is proud to work with AW-Energy in developing the WaveRoller. This innovative energy production technology also gives us an opportunity to offer our products and expertise to attractive new markets.”

AW-Energy’s WaveRoller consists of a submerged steel panel, which is located near an ocean shore.

As waves move back and forth, the mass of water in turn moves the steel panel. Then, hydraulic piston pumps transfer fluid inside a closed circuit into a hydraulic motor that drives an electricity generator, creating an energy output between 500 and 1,000kW per panel, depending on the intensity of the waves, according to Wärtsilä.

To remind, the Finnish wave energy developer, AW-Energy, received a loan of €10 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the construction of a full-scale WaveRoller unit in July 2016.