Abstract
To assess the viability of locations for wave energy farms, and design effective coastal protection measures, knowledge of local wave regimes is required. Current regime-measuring devices are expensive, and the aim of the WASP Project is to develop a low-cost, selfpowering wave-measuring device. The Wave-Activated Sensor Power Buoy (WASP) comprises a floating body with a moonpool. The relative motion of the water level in the moonpool to the buoy will pressurise and depressurise the air above the water column. It has previously been demonstrated through the tank testing of scale-models that the incident wave spectrum may be estimated from measurements of the pressure within the air above the water column [1]. A full scale prototype of the WASP was assembled and deployed in February 2019. The purpose of the prototype was to determine if a relationship between the incident wave spectrum and the pressure spectrum within an oscillating water column (OWC) chamber with a view to estimating sea-states at full-scale. This paper will discuss the behaviour of the prototype WASP during the time it was deployed and operational. The paper will review and assess the overall performance of the device, including physical integrity of the WASP as a whole and the various individual components, power usage, data management and examine issues encountered during deployment. The process shall be presented along with data and initial results.