The Wave Dragon
A Danish prototype is currently producing electricity for the grid off the coast of Denmark.
The Wavedragon. The two arms lead the waves into a basin, where the water powers a turbine producing electricity (Photo: Wavedragon)
Wave Dragon is a floating, slack-moored energy converter of the overtopping type that can be deployed in a single unit or in arrays of Wave Dragon units in groups resulting in a power plant with a capacity comparable to traditional fossil based power plants.
The first prototype connected to the grid is currently deployed in Nissum Bredning, Denmark. Long term testing is carried out to determine system performance; i.e. availability and power production in different sea states. The energy absorption performance stated at this website has now been independently verified and focus will now be on power production optimisation.
Benefits of the Wave Dragon
- The Wave Dragon concept combines existing, mature offshore and hydro turbine technology in a novel way
- Wave Dragon is the only wave energy converter technology under development that can be freely up-scaled
- Due to its size service, maintenance and even major repair works can be carried out at sea leading to low O&M cost relatively to other concepts
Further reading
The Wave Dragon website.
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