Waves4Power targets April for WaveEL redeployment

Swedish wave energy developer Waves4Power is looking to redeploy its WaveEL wave energy device off Norway in April this year.

The maintenance work on the WaveEL buoy is in full swing, according to the Chief Executive of Waves4Power, Ulf Lindelöf.

The buoy has been towed to a local shipyard for service and repair in September last year, after the damage on the acceleration tube under the buoy was identified during a routine ROV inspection of the device.

Waves4Power is now targeting April to redeploy the device at Runde test site, off Norway.

“Timing is always difficult, but our ambition is to have the whole system deployed and connected before Easter,” Lindelöf said.

The WaveEL system is comprised of an 8 meter long acceleration tube, open at both ends, which goes right through the buoy and is sticking down 30-35 meters below it.

The system produces electricity using hydraulic pump which is connected to the accumulator that feeds a hydraulic motor with a generator, which in turn converts the hydraulic pressure to electric power.

The device was first deployed in February 2016 before the retrieval for maintenance purposes seven months later.