New deployment in Hawaii for Ocean Power Technologies

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New deployment in Hawaii for Ocean Power Technologies

Written by Administrator

Friday, 14 November 2008 16:51

A PowerBuoy wave power generation unit was deployed in Hawaii this week (12th Novermber) as part of Ocean Power Technologies ongoing programme with the US Navy. The PowerBuoy was launched off Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay, approximately one mile off the coast, in 100 feet of water, and will be connected to the Oahu power grid.

Dr. George W. Taylor, CEO of OPT stated, "Our engineering group has done a superb job of executing the design, build, test and deployment of this PowerBuoy system in Hawaii. We are pleased to be a part of the Navy's effort to develop and commercialize new technologies to reduce the Navy's dependence on fuel shipments for power generation facilities, and to meet its strategic goals and other sustainability initiatives." Taylor continued, "We greatly appreciate the support which the program has received from the Congressional delegations of Hawaii and New Jersey, the US Navy, and the encouragement of Marine Corps Base Hawaii."

Previously, the OPT wave power project at Oahu underwent an extensive environmental assessment by an independent engineering company in accordance with the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA). This study featured evaluation of potential impacts on the seabed; fish, organisms and mammals; vegetation; and sea quality. The study concluded that the project would have no significant impact on the environment, which is the highest such rating.

The power produced has been in accord with OPT's predictive models, and is undergoing continuous monitoring at OPT's Pennington, New Jersey facilities, 5,000 miles away from the PowerBuoy in Hawaii. The monitoring at OPT's facility in New Jersey of the system's operations includes real-time receipt of data via radio link and internet-based communications, from the many on-board sensors. The system has the capability to amend its operating mode automatically, in reaction to changing sea states.

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