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CalWAVE Power Take-Off
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Ryan Coe
Sandia National Laboratories is partnering with California Wave Power Technologies, LLC (CalWave) to advance its wave energy converter (WEC) technology by broadening device controls beyond the power take-off system. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Small Business Vouchers(SBV) Pilot program funded this project. CalWave was the first runner-up in the Wave Energy Prize, an 18-month design-build-test competition that produced a technology leap in WEC devices. Through this project, Sandia will collaborate with Calwave to improve the device capability in efficiently absorbing energy from ocean waves and to potentially integrate PTO control approaches into existing schemes of overall device control.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
CalWave Support FOA 1663
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Budi Gunawan
As a result of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) 1663, Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Development and Advancement, a team led by the California Wave Power Technologies, LLC (CWPT) that includes University of California Berkeley, Bardex Corporation, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) was selected as one of the FOA award recipients. The main objective of the proposed project is to advance the technology readiness of the CWPT’s wave energy converter (WEC) device, by developing a scaled prototype and conducting an open water testing for an extended period (~ 9 months). During the open water testing, it is expected that the device will maintain an Average Climate Capture Width per Characteristic Capital Expenditure (ACE) target of at least 3m/M$, as has been demonstrated previously on a smaller scale device during the Wave Energy Prize competition. SNL will leverage their experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling and WEC testing to assist CalWave in device design, analysis and reporting.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
Expected 2022
- Marine Energy
Case Study of a 200kW Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converter Field Demonstration in an Island Microgrid
Lead Companies
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Lead Researcher (s)
- Jan Alam
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Conventional Hydro
Digital Twin
Lead Companies
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Lead Researcher (s)
- Hong Wang (wangh6@ornl.gov)
With an average machine age of 64 years, the U.S. hydropower fleet requires smart modernization to reduce costs and enhance the overall reliability and value of the nation's longest-serving renewable energy technology. Hydropower operations are becoming more complex and demanding as hydropower strives to provide grid reliability and resiliency in the face of variable renewable energy production as solar and wind installations continue to expand. As the electric power grid prioritizes reliability, resiliency, and value amidst an evolving mix of variable renewable and baseload assets, hydropower technology will require the integration and full benefit of the best available and future advancements in sensors, data and control systems, analytics, simulation, optimization, and computing capabilities to remain competitive. We refer to this need as the Hydropower Digitalization Challenge. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) propose to launch a Digital Twin for Hydropower Systems (DTHS) open platform framework (OPF) as a key initiating research activity and outcome to address the hydropower digitalization challenge.
Technology Application
Conventional Hydro
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
FOA 1837 Calwave & PSU Support
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Giorgio Bacelli
This project supports CalWave and Portland State University in the development of power take offs (PTOs) for Wave Energy Converters (WECs) using a control co-design approach. CalWave and Portland State University have been selected (separately) as award recipients of Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) 1837, TA2 Controls and Power Take Off (PTO) Design Integration and Testing. The project focuses on early‐stage design of PTO and control systems in parallel (control co-design approach), which has been shown to provide significant improvements in terms of performance when compared to the classical “sequential” approach, when the control system is designed after the PTO. The project is divided in two tasks: Task 1 supports CalWave; Task 2 supports Portland State University (PSU). The main challenge in the design of a PTO for WECs is to provide both energy storage and high degree of controllability in order to tune the device to the current sea state. The approach considered in Task 1 (CalWave) is to design an electro/hydraulic system with distributed storage that allows the implementation of an approximate impedance matching controller at high conversion efficiency. In Task 2 (PSU) the energy storage is performed by a magnetic spring and the control is implemented on an electrical generator. The magnetic spring is adjustable and it allows the WEC to be tuned and operate efficiently on a broad range of sea states. The PTO designed in Task 2 will be tested on the AquaHarmonics device at 1:50 scale (AquaHarmonics is partner in the project awarded to PSU).
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
FOA 2080 AWARDEE Support AOI2 (CEC AWARDEE SUPPORT)
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Budi Gunawan
Projects funded under the WEC AOI will be the first step in WPTO’s efforts to support designing, building, and testing WEC systems in the fully energetic wave environment at PacWave-South. This type of full-scale testing in the open ocean is required to accurately access device performance due to limitations inherent in laboratory testing at reduced scales and in simulated wave environments. Lessons learned and data collected during PacWave-South tests will be used to inform the next generation device designs to expeditiously advance wave energy technologies. However, before devices can be tested at PacWave-South, robust system designs that satisfy rigorous engineering requirements and standards that ensure reliable device operation in highly energetic wave climates (> 40 kW/m) must be developed. This builds on previous open-ocean testing at the US Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) in Kaneohe, Hawaii to continue building the foundational knowledge and data that will enable the performance and reliability improvements needed for cost reductions. The wave energy at the PacWav South test site is on average four times more energetic than the WETS test site and provides the forceful conditions necessary to rigorously test the resiliency of devices. Applicants must propose detailed work plans to develop WEC designs that are capable of two years of continuous testing and operations at PacWave-South test site utilizing the physical characteristics and wave climate at that location. The designs must incorporate the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Specifications (TS) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards to ensure that designs are final and fully ready to utilize for future shipyard fabrication and open-water testing via future funding opportunities.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
FOA 2080 AWARDEE Support AOI3
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Budi Gunawan
Projects funded under the WEC AOI will be the first step in WPTO’s efforts to support designing, building, and testing WEC systems in the fully energetic wave environment at PacWave-South. This type of full-scale testing in the open ocean is required to accurately access device performance due to limitations inherent in laboratory testing at reduced scales and in simulated wave environments. Lessons learned and data collected during PacWave-South tests will be used to inform the next generation device designs to expeditiously advance wave energy technologies. However, before devices can be tested at PacWave-South, robust system designs that satisfy rigorous engineering requirements and standards that ensure reliable device operation in highly energetic wave climates (> 40 kW/m) must be developed. This builds on previous open-ocean testing at the US Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) in Kaneohe, Hawaii to continue building the foundational knowledge and data that will enable the performance and reliability improvements needed for cost reductions. The wave energy at the PacWav South test site is on average four times more energetic than the WETS test site and provides the forceful conditions necessary to rigorously test the resiliency of devices. Applicants must propose detailed work plans to develop WEC designs that are capable of two years of continuous testing and operations at PacWave-South test site utilizing the physical characteristics and wave climate at that location. The designs must incorporate the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Specifications (TS) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards to ensure that designs are final and fully ready to utilize for future shipyard fabrication and open-water testing via future funding opportunities.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
FOA 2080 Lab Support AOI2b CEC
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Budi Gunawan
Projects funded under the CEC AOI, will support efforts to develop CEC technologies that can responsibly and cost-effectively harness the Nation’s riverine resources, leading to improved resiliency and diversity of the Nation’s energy generation system. CEC technologies may ultimately be easier and more cost effective to deploy in the many regions of the United States, especially in remote locations, that lack robust port infrastructure and vessel availability. But there are many technical challenges remaining before these potential opportunities can be realized. The DOE Reference Model Report identifies deployment (moorings, power cables, and device installation), operations and maintenance as the most important cost drivers for CECs, while suggesting that improving other components, such as rotors and drivetrains does not provide as much cost savings potential. WPTO has previously supported R&D projects that have developed and tested components, control strategies, and generator technologies, and one CEC system prototype project. However, today’s CEC systems still require potentially complicated installation, operation, and maintenance (IO&M) strategies. Successful projects will expand the number and geographic diversity of locations where CEC technologies are commercially viable, while simultaneously advancing the state of CEC technologies. Further, the CEC AOI requires the development and use of modular system designs, enabling CEC projects to be easily optimized for a wide range of deployment locations and electricity load needs. CEC AOI projects will design, fabricate, and open-water test modular CEC river system that incorporate and advance IO&M techniques which require only limited use of port and vessel infrastructure.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Tidal
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
- Marine Energy
FOA 2080 Lab Support AOI3 WEC
Lead Companies
Sandia National Laboratories
Lead Researcher (s)
- Budi Gunawan
Projects funded under the WEC AOI will be the first step in WPTO’s efforts to support designing, building, and testing WEC systems in the fully energetic wave environment at PacWave-South. This type of full-scale testing in the open ocean is required to accurately access device performance due to limitations inherent in laboratory testing at reduced scales and in simulated wave environments. Lessons learned and data collected during PacWave-South tests will be used to inform the next generation device designs to expeditiously advance wave energy technologies. However, before devices can be tested at PacWave-South, robust system designs that satisfy rigorous engineering requirements and standards that ensure reliable device operation in highly energetic wave climates (> 40 kW/m) must be developed. This builds on previous open-ocean testing at the US Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) in Kaneohe, Hawaii to continue building the foundational knowledge and data that will enable the performance and reliability improvements needed for cost reductions. The wave energy at the PacWav South test site is on average four times more energetic than the WETS test site and provides the forceful conditions necessary to rigorously test the resiliency of devices. Applicants must propose detailed work plans to develop WEC designs that are capable of two years of continuous testing and operations at PacWave-South test site utilizing the physical characteristics and wave climate at that location. The designs must incorporate the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Specifications (TS) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards to ensure that designs are final and fully ready to utilize for future shipyard fabrication and open-water testing via future funding opportunities.
Technology Application
Marine Energy
Research Category
Technology
Research Sub-Category
Wave
Status
ongoing
Completion Date
TBD
Don’t see your waterpower research?
Have questions about WaRP?
Contact Marla Barnes at: marla@hydro.org