Wave Energy Prize: Teams to finish scaled testing end of January

Semi-finalist teams running for the Wave Energy Prize, set up by the US Department of Energy, are scheduled to complete the small-scale testing of their wave energy devices by the end of January, 2016.

With seven qualified teams that have completed the 1:50 scaled testing of their wave energy devices, the competition is approaching Technology Gate 2 stage.

Seven teams that have completed the small-scale testing include Atlas Ocean Systems, Super Watt Wave Catcher Barge Team, Sea Potential, SEWEC, Team FLAPPER, IOwec and RTI Wave Power.

Ten teams, scheduled to complete small-scale testing from January 4 through 29, 2016, include: M3 Wave, Mocean Energy, Oscilla Power, Principle Power, AquaHarmonics, WECCA, CalWave, Float Inc. – BergerABAM, Advanced Ocean Energy @ VA Tech and WaveSwing America.

The remaining three qualified teams, Atlantic Wave Power Partnership, Enorasy Labs and OceanEnergy USA, announced their withdrawal from the competition in November.

Additionally, the teams will submit the model design and construction plans for their 1:20 scale models by January 29, 2016. This plan, along with the results of small-scale testing, numerical modeling and revisions to their technical submissions, will be evaluated by the Wave Energy Prize judges at Technology Gate 2 to determine which teams will advance as official finalist teams, according to the Wave Energy Prize.

The Wave Energy Prize expects to announce the finalist teams and alternates at the beginning of March this year.

The selected teams will have the opportunity to receive funds to build their 1:20 scale WEC prototypes, which are scheduled to undergo tank testing at the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Maneuvering and Seakeeping (MASK) Basin at Carderock, Maryland, beginning in the summer of 2016.

The winner(s) of Wave Energy Prize challenge are expected to be announced in November.

Wave Energy Prize competition was launched by the US Department of Energy to encourage the development of game-changing wave energy conversion (WEC) devices that will achieve the DOE’s goal of doubling energy capture, thus reducing the cost of wave energy and making it more competitive with traditional energy solutions.

The team that ranks the highest after testing the 1:20 scaled WEC device model will be awarded $1.5 mln. The second team will win an award in the amount of $500.000, and the third-placed tam will be awarded $250.000.