Marine Power Systems was founded back in 2008 by Swansea University engineering graduates Dr Gareth Stockman and Dr Graham Foster, who wanted to develop and bring to market their WaveSub wave energy converter.
The WaveSub is designed to operate around 10 kilometers from the shore and, instead of utilizing the energy generated atop the surface of the water by the movement of waves, WaveSub is intended to operate below the surface of the water, harvesting the continual orbital motion of waves under the surface.
Marine Power Systems believes that wave power could contribute 10% of global electricity demand by 2050 and believes that upscaling wave energy technology could generate an estimated 4,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) of power annually.
Announced last week, WaveSub has been successfully installed at FaBTest, located within Falmouth Harbour, Cornwall, England. It underwent a battery of tests that have been run all year — including tow tests, submergence tests, installation of the mooring system, and assembly and commissioning of the power buoy.
The company will now focus on moving the WaveSub through final commissioning with a view to commencing energy generation trials later this summer. This move to FaBTest is another step forwards for MPS along the path to full-scale manufacture and commercial roll-out of the WaveSub.
Reference – Marine Power Systems PR, FaBTest website, Cleantechnica