Wave energy testing at Carderock nears conclusion

 
Wave energy converters testing is coming to a close with only two more developers left to test their 1:20 scale devices as part of US Department of Energy’s funded Wave Energy Prize challenge.

The final testing of the devices began in August at the US Navy’s Maneuvering and Seakeeping (MASK) Basin, Carderock, Maryland.

The first finalist team, out of 9 total, which completed the trials was M3 Wave, followed by Waveswing America, Harvest Wave Energy (Team FLAPPER), AquaHarmonics, CalWave Power Technologies, Oscilla Power and Sea Potential.

The team currently testing at MASK Basin is RTI Wave Power, while the last team, SEWEC, is onsite building its device, Wave Energy Prize administration informed.

Alison LaBonte, Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Program Manager at DoE’s Water Power Technologies Office, said: “Watching our finalist teams’ WEC concepts come to life at the MASK Basin has been a thrill. We’re looking forward to the Judges’ analyses of the nine weeks of testing and learning how many and which technologies surpassed our goal of doubling the energy capture efficiency of wave energy converters.”

The team that ranks the highest will be awarded $1.5 million. The second team will win an award in the amount of $500,000, and the third-placed tam will be awarded $250,000.

The winner(s) of the Wave Energy Prize challenge will be announced on November 16, 2016.