Innovation is creating a revolution in wave energy technology in Scotland
Work to create new wave technology, using electroactive rubber materials rather than rigid steel structures, and developing clusters of wave energy converters has the potential to transform the marine energy sector.
Sustained technology innovation was one of the key recommendations in a recent report published by the University of Edinburgh and commissioned by Scottish Enterprise and Wave Energy Scotland.
The Future Economic Potential of Tidal Stream and Wave Energy report also revealed the huge size of the potential economic prize for Scotland if the correct steps are taken to ensure it remains the world-leading destination for developing marine energy.
Central to the drive forward is innovation, something that is bearing fruit for Wave Energy Scotland (WES), a subsidiary of Highlands and Islands Enterprise established to ensure the country maintains a leading role in the development of marine energy.
Direct Generation
Traditional wave energy technologies have used the motion of heavy, rigid steel structures to power generators.
But the team at WES is exploring alternative generation applications using smart electroactive materials comprised of electrodes embedded within a rubber material. As the rubber stretches and contracts from the waves, the spacing between the charged electrodes changes, generating electricity from the varying capacitance.
By using this “flexible architecture” the cost of generating electricity could be made lower if the generators are built on a large scale due to the simplification in design and low cost of raw materials. Additionally, the scalability of these architectures can be tailor-made to work in different areas of the sea.
Cluster Generation
Wave Energy Scotland is also developing cluster generation, grouping together multiple wave energy generators.
As well as generating more electricity, the cost of doing so can be lowered as the infrastructure is grouped together and so requires fewer anchors, mooring lines and electricity cables.
Previously it was thought that wave energy generators would perform less effectively if positioned close together but recent research at the University of Edinburgh’s FloWave testing facility revealed no significant loss of performance when wave energy converters are located relatively close together.
Wave Energy Scotland is also looking at how clustering solutions could enable wave energy to share sites with offshore wind developments to further improve the economics of energy generation. Sharing infrastructure such as cables and sub-stations, as well as vessels and maintenance personnel could lower overall costs.
The role of Wave Energy Scotland
Tim Hurst, Managing Director of Wave Energy Scotland, said the work being done is exactly what the report had called for. He said: “Wave Energy Scotland has been fundamental in supporting ongoing innovation in the sector and bringing technologies to the cusp of commercialisation. This report clearly demonstrates the huge economic and societal benefits of continuing Scotland’s commitment and investment in marine energy to ensure it remains a global leader – using our natural resources for national benefit. It also highlights the incredible synergies with other energy sectors, such as offshore wind, allowing for sharing of infrastructure and skills into the future.”
A bright future
Findings form The Future Economic Potential of Tidal Stream and Wave Energy report include the potential for wave energy and tidal stream projects in the UK to deliver more than £8bn in economic benefits to the Scottish economy by 2050 if we retain our leadership position until then, supporting more than 15,000 jobs, including high-value employment in coastal communities and the Highlands and Islands.
It presents a scenario where there is an estimated Scottish market for up to 8.8GW of marine energy by 2050, with potential deployments of up to 12.6GW throughout the UK and up to 300GW globally. The report states this could deliver up to 62,000 jobs in Scottish companies in 2050, comprised of 15,600 jobs in the UK, plus a further 46,000 jobs from worldwide exports. The global export market for marine energy over the same timeframe could be worth as much as £28bn to Scotland’s economy.
Scotland already has significant advantages in marine, including abundant natural resources, enterprise agencies such as Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise with expertise in supporting and growing the sector, and a decade of Wave Energy Scotland investment in wave energy and subcomponents with £50m awarded across 132 contracts. It is also home to the European Marine Energy Centre, the world’s first and leading facility for demonstrating and testing wave and tidal energy converters for the last 20 years.
Want to chat to the WES team? You can find them at the All-Energy conference in Glasgow on 14th and 15th May and for more information on Wave Energy Scotland’s activity visit the website here.