Surge Project |
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The European Project SURGE (Simple Underwater Renewable Generation of Electricity), is funded by the EC under FP7 and intends to test and assess the second generation of the Finnish WaveRoller device, near Peniche. After almost a decade of R&D in wave energy and after testing the prototype WaveRoller1 at real scale at EMEC in Scotland and in Portugal, AW-Energy, owner of the technology, will install and test its second prototype in Portuguese seas.
It is a nearshore technology, thus near the coast, to be installed at a depth of 15-20 meters fixed at the sea bottom. It will use the horizontal movement of the waves at low depth to move its vertical wings. The Surge project is one of the few demonstration projects worldwide at real scale that aims to contribute to the maturity of a technology for commercialization. This project, started in 2009, will take process during three years and will be one more important step to attract wave energy technology to Portugal.
WavEC participates in four areas of the project: management, technical and environmental monitoring of the device, test assessment and local and scientific dissemination. We highlight WavEC’s experience with the technical aspects of its CAO Pico Plant and underwater acoustic experience with the WEAM project. The project represents 196.000 euros for WavEC of a total of almost 3M€ for the whole project.
Update July 2011
20 months into the SURGE project progress has been made on several fronts. The prototype manufacturing has been advancing in Finland and, although slightly late, is in the final stages of assembly before transport to Portugal. This is expected to take place around November of 2011 allowing for device testing to be performed within the timescale of the project. On the environmental component of the project IH has conducted several baseline campaigns relating to the physical parameters of the deployment site for a detailed understanding of the conditions that will be met. WavEC in cooperation with MarSensing and IPLeiria has also carried out the first biological baseline campaigns on the acoustic properties and benthic communities respectively. Monitoring campaigns and performance evaluation tests are expected to take place soon after deployment in late 2011 or early 2012.