Wave power comes of age
Published : September 2008
The world’s first commercial wave power project comes online this week in Agucadoura off the coast of Portugal.
This first phase of the project involves three generators at a cost of €9m. The second phase will see a further 25 machines, bringing total capacity up to 21 megawatts. Once complete, it should meet the annual electricity demand of more than 15,000 Portuguese households, at the same time displacing more than 60,000 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide emissions from conventional generating plants.
The Agucadoura project will initially generate power using three Pelamis Wave Energy Converters that are semi-submerged, articulated structures comprising cylindrical sections linked by hinged joints located three miles off the coast. The wave-induced motion of these joints is resisted by hydraulic rams, which pump high pressure fluid through hydraulic motors, which in turn drive electrical generators to produce electricity. Each machine is rated at 750 kilowatts.
The project is a joint venture comprising asset manager Babcock & Brown, Energais de Portugal, energy solutions provider Efacec, and Edinburgh-based Pelamis Wave Power. The partnership will continue to develop experimental wave energy projects.
Such projects benefit from a special feed-in tariff established by the Portuguese government to support wave energy installations. The tariff of 25c per kilowatt is higher than that provided to wind energy but less than that provided to solar energy.