Abstract
The ocean waves near the coasts, especially in places between the tropics and the polar circles, can potentially provide clean energy to around 500 million homes.
Historically, wave energy devices have declined due to financial unviability. Currently, other technologies continue their developing works but with high costs and complex designs and/or manufacturing processes, increasing the initial capital expenditures (CapEx) and limiting their future commercial stages.
Neowave is a Colombian-engineered wave energy converter, point absorber type, inspired by breathing dynamics and the jellyfish shape.
This scalable design is conformed with basic, standard, and commercial parts, its manufacturing and assembly processes are traditional and available even in developing countries; and it has a stackable configuration with a four 1:2 scale devices option and 30 kW each one in one 40’HQ container. The 1:1 current design would have a 300 kW capacity.
A remotely operated maintenance system was designed to reduce the operation costs (OpEx), replacements, and visits to the installation location and extend its useful life. A remotely operated control system was designed for the device’s adaptation to different wave energy densities, a harmonical movement with waves, a turn-off mode during maintenance labors, a survivor mode during storms, and a generated energy increase. Two utility patents were conceded for these systems.
Potential applications have been considered in markets such as mining, military, oceanography, weather, aquaculture, pisciculture, or utility scale installations: Underwater vehicle charging, sensors, signals, fish food feeders, desalination, electricity for homes and industry, and others.
A homemade 1:30 scale functional prototype and a water level change mechanism were manufactured, validating the proof of concept and getting a TRL 3-4. A technology assessment process developed by ORE Catapult in 2021 showed promising aspects. Computational simulations through the WEC-Sim software for both the PTO and the device geometry have begun for their interactions analysis under ocean conditions. A more detailed 1:30 scale functional prototype is being fabricated for tests in the wave flume of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Medellín City. A 1:10 scale pilot device will be designed for open water tests in the San Andres Island in the Colombian Caribbean Sea.
A financial analysis of materials, non-standard and commercial parts, manufacturing, and installation works shows profitability and potential reductions for the LCoE.
Environmental and social aspects are highly considered thanks to the collaboration with the Oceanicos research group of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Medellín City and San Andres Island.