Geothermal and marine energy, aside from solar and offshore wind energy, are also focuses of development. Aquanet Power announced on 3rd to be signing for an “Oscillating Water Column Pilot Power Plant” with Taiwan Panlu New Energy, which is the first pilot project in Taiwan that generates power through wave energy, and the first wave energy array in the world.
Serving as the EPC company for this project, Aquanet Power offers turkey services, and has applied for an 1.95MW wave energy power system at the northeast coast of Taiwan that will take about 18 months in construction before initiating power generation. The annual power generation of the project is expected to provide enough power for the consumption of approximately 1,500 households.
Taiwan is an island country, and is optimal for development of power generation through wave energy. Chen Ying-chie, CEO of Aquanet Power, commented that the company has been engaged in the study of power generation through wave energy for more than two decades, and 3 different prototypes of the particular technology have now been completed in development, deployment, testing, and operation on open seas, with successful conversion of wave energy into electricity, which has been connected to the power grid, followed by selling of 100% clean and green electricity.
Chen Wei-cheng, Chairman of Panlu New Energy, pointed out that Taiwan is an island country surrounded by sea, which grants it optimal conditions in developing wave energy. Aquanet Power’s wave power systems can be constructed in a modular fashion, and are able to lower preliminary operating cost and risks, as well as accomplish rapid expansion. The construction of these power systems on breakwaters, with turbines sitting on sea level, not only avoids destructing marine ecology, but also serves as breakwaters, making it a very suitable development for Taiwan’s coasts.
The wave power pilot project between the two companies this time is constituted by three breakwater caissons and a turbine generator, and has a total rated power of 1.95MW that is planned for an enlargement to 25MW in the future.
Having obtained 25 patents from more than 40 countries thus far, Aquanet Power serves as a technical company that offers OWC, and acts as a sole provider of integrated Turkey solutions for bidirectional airwave turbine generator units and remote control electricity transmittance systems. The power generation technology of Aquanet Power can be established at shallow and deep waters in response to various wave conditions and scales, as well as assimilates turbine generators with breakwaters that will reduce coastal erosions and offer protection for ports, which elevates application values of breakwaters.
A co-construction facility that integrates wave energy extraction installations and breakwaters can function for 100 years, while turbine generator units can be replaced every 20 years that will help maintain stability and efficiency of wave power systems, as well as minimize environmental impact.
(Cover photo source: Aquanet Power)
