New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
A new wave energy converter developed by the University of Manchester is to be ‘wet launched’ in Albany, Australia in October.
The M4 (moored multi-mode multibody) wave energy converter comprises multiple floats, connected by beams, in a 1-2-1 float arrangement for the Albany tests. The two middle floats each support a hinge between the bow and stern floats. The motion of the waves rotates the body of the machine. That relative motion powers a generator. A single mooring point allows the M4 to naturally turn and face the waves for better energy capture.
The Albany M4 project, led by a team at the University of Western Australia, will use a quarter-scale demonstration model designed specifically for the research project. It will generate 1–10 kW in the target sea-states. Sensors on the model will provide real-time data on energy production and performance.
All of the data collected during the device’s deployment is being made available to scientists, developers and the public.
M4 inventor, University of Manchester Professor Peter Stansby, says: ‘The M4 wave energy concept has been in development for over a decade, and these ocean trials represent a significant step towards full-scale megawatt systems.’
The University’s Hydrodynamics Lab played a key role in the development of the M4. ‘While computational modelling provides valuable predictions, experimental validation is essential for understanding and optimising complex systems,’ Stansby states.
