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MU-EDRIVE project: large-scale renewable energy

Two British universities plan to install a wave energy converter in the North Sea to show how to increase electrical drives for wave energy converters.

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MU-EDRIVE, one of eight projects funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is part of a collaboration between Newcastle University and the University of Edinburgh to demonstrate how electric “drive trains” in converters wave energy can be developed to provide large-scale renewable energy. Academics hope this will help reduce the cost of energy production, making energy more readily available and affordable.

 

Newcastle University installs prototype wave energy converter off the coast of Northumberland

Newcastle University will install a generator and power converter at a buoy located 3 km off the coast of Northumberland at Blyth for a period of 12 months. The prototype wave energy converter will provide vital operational data and test the latest corrosion and anti-fouling technologies that will advance the understanding of the robustness of wave energy converters in situ.

 

University of Edinburgh: design, construction and testing of a magnetic drive system in partnership with Mocean Energy

The University of Edinburgh team, in partnership with Mocean Energy, will design, build and test a magnetic drive system to demonstrate increased power generation. The project will also show how magnetic gear technology can be scaled to higher power levels and integrated more fully into wave energy converters.

 

Towards large-scale renewable energy

According to Dr. Nick Baker of Newcastle University, wave energy can be considered “energetic” and could be an important factor in moving away from traditional energy sources and reaching the ambitious goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Technologies used in the electrification of the automotive industry, such as motor and generator development, can easily be transferred to the marine energy market.

The marine energy sector is developing rapidly in Great Britain. Recent government support for wave energy has led to an increase in skills and advanced technology in the electronic machinery and drive sectors. The MU-EDRIVE project aims to create large-scale renewable energy and could be the technology of the future.

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