Unlimited Wave Energy: This Buoy is the Future

Summary

This video explores the innovative C4 floating wave energy converter by Sweden's Core Power. Inspired by the human heart, the C4 captures five times more energy per ton than traditional systems while ensuring survivability in harsh ocean conditions. It uses a pneumatic system and a Wavespring mechanism to maximize energy efficiency, even during storms. The C4's success in initial tests off Portugal's coast suggests that commercial wave power could soon be viable, offering a significant renewable energy source for coastal regions.

Takeaways

• 🌊 Wave energy has the potential to meet global electricity demand, but harnessing it has been a centuries-long challenge.
• ⚙️ Core Power's C4 wave energy converter is inspired by the human heart and designed to capture five times more energy per ton than other wave systems.
• 🛡️ A key challenge in wave energy is ensuring survivability in harsh ocean conditions, which Core Power addresses with lightweight and tough composite buoys.
• 🔄 The C4 system uses a pneumatic cylinder that stores pressure and converts the linear up-and-down motion of waves into rotational energy, powering an onboard generator.
• 🌪️ Core Power's C4 survived four powerful Atlantic storms, thanks to its detuned storm protection state, which shields the buoy from large waves.
• 💡 The innovative WaveSpring system, based on a hydraulic pump mechanism inspired by the human heart, helps increase energy extraction by three times.
• ⚓ The C4 is anchored to the seabed using the Universal Mooring Anchoring and Connectivity Kit (UMAC), which outperforms traditional anchors in terms of holding capacity and environmental impact.
• 🏭 Core Power's focus on reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) led to a 70% reduction in costs by using composite materials instead of steel.
• 📉 Core Power estimates that with widespread adoption, the LCOE of their system could be competitive with wind and solar, potentially dropping to $35 per megawatt hour.
• 🔧 Future tests of Core Power's wave energy arrays in larger and more challenging ocean environments will determine the commercial viability of their technology.

Q & A

What is the C4 wave energy converter and what inspired its design?

The C4 is a floating wave energy converter developed by Sweden's Core Power. It takes inspiration from the human heart and combines it with advanced engineering to capture wave energy more efficiently than other systems.

How does the C4 differ from traditional wave energy systems in terms of energy capture?

The C4 is reported to capture five times more energy per ton than other wave systems, thanks to its innovative design that harnesses the linear up and down movement of waves and turns it into rotation for electricity generation.

What was the historical challenge in making wave energy commercially viable?

Historically, wave energy faced two major challenges: efficiency and survivability. Many devices were either not efficient enough to capture significant energy or were unable to withstand the harsh conditions in the ocean.

How did Core Power test the survivability of the C4 system?

Core Power tested the C4 off the coast of North Portugal, where it was subjected to four powerful Atlantic storms. The system survived all of them, demonstrating its remarkable survivability.

What is the significance of the Wavespring system in the C4's design?

The Wavespring system is a breakthrough that builds on an older hydraulic pump invention by a cardiologist. It allows the C4 to use built-up pressure to capture maximum wave energy throughout the whole cycle, not just the upstroke, improving both efficiency and survivability.

How does the pneumatic system in the C4 contribute to its survivability during storms?

The pneumatic system can increase internal pressure during storms, which prevents the buoy from moving excessively with the harsh waves. This state, known as the detuned storm protection state, is similar to a wind turbine pitching its blades during high winds.

What is the role of the onboard generator in the C4's energy extraction process?

The onboard generator works in conjunction with the wider Wavespring system to control the flow of energy, allowing the pneumatic springs and cylinder to compress and expand, thus storing and releasing energy. This optimizes the motion of the device to be in line with the waves for maximum power extraction.

What is the significance of the UMAC anchoring system used in the C4?

The UMAC (Universal Mooring Anchoring and Connectivity Kit) anchoring system is designed to outperform traditional anchors in terms of holding capacity, cost, and carbon footprint. It also provides a secure path for electrical cables and is installed using a method that is quieter and friendlier to marine life.

What is the vision for the deployment of the C4 systems in the future?

The vision is to have arrays of C4 buoys or 'cor packs' laid out side by side in sets to form wave farms, delivering electricity to the grid through collection hubs connected to a single export cable.

How does Core Power's approach to design and innovation focus on cost-effectiveness?

Core Power's design and innovation approach is driven by the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), ensuring that the design of the machine and its components are cost-effective over the system's lifetime, including construction, operation, and maintenance.

What are the potential future benefits of Core Power's wave energy technology?

With continued investment and development, Core Power's wave energy technology could provide significant renewable power to energy grids in coastal regions, offering a competitive alternative to wind and solar energy sources.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Harnessing Wave Power: The C4's Innovative Approach

This paragraph introduces the concept of wave energy as a potential global electricity source and highlights the challenges of harnessing it. It focuses on the Swedish company Core Power's C4 wave energy converter, which draws inspiration from the human heart to achieve remarkable energy efficiency and survivability. The C4 reportedly captures five times more energy per ton than other systems, thanks to its unique design. The paragraph also touches on the historical difficulties of developing wave energy systems and the importance of ensuring their durability in harsh ocean environments.

05:02

💪 C4's Survivability in Harsh Ocean Conditions

This paragraph details the rigorous testing of the C4 system off the coast of North Portugal, where it successfully withstood four powerful Atlantic storms. Core Power's secret to the C4's durability lies in its lightweight composite buoys and the use of a point absorber system that oscillates with the waves. The C4's pneumatic system allows it to harness maximum wave energy by converting linear up-and-down movements into rotational energy, which powers an onboard generator. The system's ability to adjust pressure during storms, known as the 'detuned storm protection state,' is key to its survivability, making it comparable to wind turbines that adjust their blades during high winds.

10:02

💡 Maximizing Wave Energy with the Wavespring System

This paragraph explores the Wavespring system, invented by Dr. Hals, which enhances the C4's energy efficiency by allowing the pneumatic springs and cylinder to compress and expand, storing and releasing energy in sync with wave movements. A smart control system optimizes the timing of energy extraction, ensuring the buoy moves in phase with the waves, similar to a well-timed push on a swing. The paragraph also introduces the UMAC (Universal Mooring Anchoring and Connectivity) kit, which securely anchors the buoys to the seabed, offering superior holding capacity and environmental benefits. The broader vision involves creating wave farms with multiple buoys to generate significant renewable energy.

💰 Cost-Effective Wave Energy: The Path to Commercial Viability

This paragraph discusses the cost-driven approach of Core Power, focusing on the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) as a key metric. The C4's composite hull, made from resin and fiberglass, significantly reduces LCOE by 70%, making the technology more competitive. Reports suggest that with the installation of 600 MW capacity by 2025, the LCOE could drop to $75 per MWh, and further down to $35 per MWh with 20 GW installed, making it competitive with wind and solar energy. The UMAC anchor's quiet installation method also minimizes underwater noise pollution, and the anchor's design emerged from Core Power's collaborative approach with academia and the private sector.

🏗️ Testing the Future of Wave Energy

This paragraph outlines the next steps for Core Power, which include testing larger arrays of buoys in harsher conditions off the North Coast of Portugal. The success of these tests will be crucial for the commercial viability of wave energy, as the ocean's violent and corrosive nature has been a major challenge for previous systems. With continued investment, Core Power's arrays could soon provide significant renewable power to coastal regions. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of innovation in engineering and how Core Power's breakthroughs bring commercial wave power closer to reality.

Keywords

💡Wave Energy

Wave energy refers to the power harnessed from ocean waves. In the video, it is discussed as a renewable energy source with the potential to meet global electricity demand. The video explores how harnessing this power has been a long-standing challenge due to issues of efficiency and survivability.

💡C4 Wave Energy Converter

The C4 is a floating wave energy converter developed by Sweden's Core Power. Inspired by the human heart, this device captures wave energy more efficiently than previous systems, potentially revolutionizing wave energy technology. The C4 is central to the video's narrative, showcasing innovative design features that address the challenges of harnessing wave power.

💡Survivability

Survivability refers to the ability of wave energy systems to withstand harsh ocean conditions. The video highlights this as a major challenge, with many systems failing due to the powerful forces of the sea. Core Power's C4 device addresses this issue with a detuned storm protection state, which allows it to survive extreme storms without damage.

💡Efficiency

Efficiency in the context of wave energy refers to the effectiveness of converting wave movement into usable electricity. The C4's innovative design, including the wavespring system, significantly improves energy capture, making it five times more efficient per ton than other wave energy systems. This focus on efficiency is a key theme in the video.

💡Wavespring System

The Wavespring system is a core innovation in the C4 wave energy converter. It uses pneumatic cylinders and springs to store and release energy as the buoy moves with the waves. This system ensures continuous energy capture throughout the wave cycle, enhancing both efficiency and survivability, as explained in the video.

💡Point Absorber

A point absorber is a type of wave energy converter that captures energy from the movement of waves in a specific point. The C4 is a point absorber, tethered to the seabed, and it oscillates with the waves to capture energy. This concept is crucial to understanding how the C4 operates and achieves high efficiency.

💡Pneumatic Systems

Pneumatic systems in the C4 use air instead of fluids to generate and store pressure. These systems are crucial for the device's ability to capture maximum energy from waves and survive harsh ocean conditions. The video explains how pneumatic systems allow the C4 to adjust its behavior during storms, ensuring durability.

💡Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE)

LCOE measures the average total cost of producing one unit of energy over the system's lifetime. The video emphasizes how Core Power's design choices, such as using composite materials, aim to reduce the LCOE, making wave energy more competitive with other renewable sources like wind and solar.

💡Umac Anchor

The Umac Anchor is an innovative anchoring system used by the C4 wave energy converter. It outperforms traditional anchors in terms of holding capacity and environmental impact. The video explains how this system contributes to the overall survivability and efficiency of the C4, making it a critical component in the wave energy system.

💡Dynamic Adaptive Piston Pump

The Dynamic Adaptive Piston Pump is an earlier invention by Dr. Stig Lundback, a cardiologist who later co-founded Core Power. This pump, which uses built-up pressure to move fluid in two directions, inspired the C4's wavespring system. The video discusses how this concept, originally from the medical field, was adapted for wave energy conversion.

Highlights

Waves in our ocean have the potential to meet global electricity demand, but harnessing this power has been a centuries-long challenge.

Core Power's C4 wave energy converter draws inspiration from the human heart to achieve remarkable energy efficiency.

The C4 device reportedly captures five times more energy per ton than other wave systems.

Core Power's testing off the coast of North Portugal proved the C4's survivability, withstanding four powerful Atlantic storms.

The C4 uses lightweight, tough composite buoys in a point absorber system to capture wave energy through vertical oscillation.

A key innovation is the Wavespring system, which builds on a hydraulic pump concept inspired by the efficiency of the human heart.

The C4's pneumatic systems store pressure during wave motion, allowing continuous energy capture throughout the wave cycle.

The device's detuned storm protection state helps it survive large waves by adjusting the pressure within the system.

The C4's smart control system optimizes energy extraction by synchronizing the device's movement with wave phases.

The UMAC anchoring system outperforms conventional methods in terms of holding capacity, cost, and environmental impact.

The UMAC system also provides a secure path for electrical cables and can be used in other offshore applications like floating wind turbines.

Core Power's approach is driven by the goal of reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), aiming for competitive energy pricing.

The use of composite hulls in the C4 design has resulted in a 70% reduction in LCOE.

By 2025, with an installed capacity of 600 MW, the C4 could achieve an LCOE of $75 per MWh, with potential to drop as low as $35 per MWh.

Core Power's innovative solutions bring commercial wave power closer to reality, with promising future developments.

Transcripts

waves in our ocean are an incredible

source of power that could in theory

meet the whole of global electricity

demand however harnessing wave power has

been a centuries long Quest littered

with failure but that could all be set

to change a floating wave energy

converter called the C4 by Sweden's Core

Power has taken inspiration from the

human heart and combined it with

world-class engineering to deliver some

incredible results in this video we'll

look at the design that allows the C4 to

capture a reported five times more

energy per ton than other wave systems

however before they started optimizing

the energy from their device there was a

bigger challenge they had to solve and

that was making sure the whole thing

didn't get ripped apart in the

ocean when I studied wave energy at

University it was like a postmortem of

failed systems since 179 9 ideas and

patents have come thick and fast these

ideas have yielded devices with

fantastic names like the Salter duck

Mighty whale and the oyster there are

now more than 1,500 wave energy patents

out there but Commercial Success has

been elusive this is largely because

wave power has historically had two very

expensive problems efficiency and

survivability so to really test the

survivability of their vention The Core

Power Team chose to do their testing off

the coast of North Portugal where their

system was subject to four powerful

Atlantic storms and amazingly it

survived all of them without a problem

one of their secrets to this incredible

survivability is that Core Power uses

composite boys that are lightweight and

tough in a type of wave of energy

converter known as a point absorber

Tethered to the seabed they oscillate

with the waves mostly up and down

capturing wave energy the C4 harnesses

the linear up and down movement and

turns it into rotation creating

electricity via a Cascade of small gears

powering an onboard generator even with

safety constraints on velocity and

stroke the six-month test in Portugal

achieved a peak power of 600 KW for

comparison wind turbines with equal

power ratings are twice as tall with

rotors four times wider and much more

complex to deploy however just using

tough boys is not the ingenious

invention that sets Core Power apart

instead there are a few other

breakthroughs that help address the

system efficiency and survivability in

much more interesting ways one of these

is called the wavespring system that

builds on an older breakthrough a

hydraulic pump invented by a

cardiologist the cardiac cycle takes

less than a second but as cardiologist

Dr Stig lundback discovered it's

mind-blowingly efficient this is in part

because the heart only uses energy when

it contracts and pushes blood out into

the body to fill back up all it needs to

do is relax and let pressure in the rest

of the body push blood back into it this

means that with one contraction blood

flows in two directions this idea of

using builtup pressure to get blood

flowing in two directions from one

action is what got Dr Stig lback

thinking about wave energy because just

like the heart waves only push in One

Direction in 1984 Dr lundback patented

the dynamic adaptive piston pump like

the heart it's a single pump with a dual

action decades later he co-founded Core

Power and put this mechanism to good use

however unlike the heart The Core Power

C4 uses pneumatic systems meaning that

they work with Air instead of fluid as

the boy rises in a wave the central

pneumatic cylinder and springs store up

the pressure then this stored pressure

can provide a returning Force as the boy

goes back down where the central

cylinder pulls back on the rods that are

secured to the ocean floor with an

anchor therefore the C4 boy can capture

the maximum wave energy throughout the

whole cycle instead of just the upstroke

this pneumatic system also helps with

survivability this is because when a

storm comes the pressure can be

increased inside to prevent the boy

going all the way up and down with the

harsh ocean waves this state is known as

the detuned storm protection State and

can be compared to a wind turbine

pitching its blades during high winds

this ability to Shield itself from large

waves is how the C4 survived Atlantic

storms with record-breaking waves of

18.5

M however when the waves are good the C4

boy can instead be continuously tuned to

work with the waves this tuning is done

using the onboard generator alongside

the wider wavespring system the

wavespring was invented by Dr hals when

designing the system he had to do lots

of 3D modeling and testing which is why

before looking into the wavespring

further I need to tell you about today's

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in the description now to look at how

the wavespring and Generator work

together to maximize energy from the

Waves by allowing the pneumatic Springs

and cylinder to compress and expand

hence storing energy and releasing

energy it shifts the movement of the

device more in line with the waves a

smart control system also chooses how

hard the generator works so it extracts

energy at the perfect time this further

helps to ensure the boy continues to

move in Phase with the waves which is

best for maximizing power extraction one

of their scientific papers claimed that

this increases the overall energy

extraction by three times compared to a

passive system an analogy for how this

works is like a well-timed push on a

swing by managing when energy is stored

Ed or released the motion of the swing

or boy can be optimized just like

pushing a swing at the right time using

the generator to control the flow of

energy can keep everything moving in

time and improve Energy Efficiency I

briefly mentioned this earlier but in

order for the boy to pull or push itself

back towards the ocean it needs to be

Tethered to the ocean floor each boy is

anchored to the seabed by a tensioned

moing system called the umac or

Universal moing anchoring and

connectivity kit according to Core Power

the umac anchor outperforms gravity

anchors and conventional monopiles in

terms of holding capacity cost and

carbon footprint it is also installed

with a highspeed and low noise method

making it friendlier to marine life as

well as withstanding extreme forces it

also acts as a secure path for

electrical cables to come from The Boy

The Wider vision is to have a of boys or

cor packs laid out side by side in sets

of 5 10 and 30 megaw to form wave Farms

from here electricity will be delivered

to the grid collection hubs connected to

a single export cable amazing technology

aside the real driver for these

Innovations is the final levelized cost

of electricity which measures the

average total cost to produce one unit

of energy over the lifetime of the

system fact in in construction operation

and maintenance here is what Miguel Sila

managing director of Core Power had to

say on the topic in an interview he did

with the team enet who I'll leave a link

to in the description below the design

from the device and the concept behind

it it it has always lcoe as the main

metric so the levelized cost of

electricity so when you design the

machine and each of its components

you're thinking about the levelized cost

of energy so for example on the C four

that you see behind us you have a

composite hole it's a choice for lcoe

it's a it's a choice that moved us away

from traditional Halls of Steel that are

very vulnerable to raw material price

fluctuation and we moved to a high

efficiency mostly fully automated

process to manufacture from resin and

fiberglass so this immediately gave us a

70% reduction on lcoe so this is an

example how the the design is tuned

biometric that is feeding to the one of

the big targets it has to have to have a

competitive technology in the market

reports say that when a cumulative

capacity of 600 megawatt is installed by

2025 the levelized cost of energy will

be around $75 per megawatt hour I've

also seen that if they can install 20

gaw of these boys it will drop as low as

$35 per megawatt hour which is

competitive with wind and solar this

cost-driven approach is also how the

umac anchor was born Core Power says

that its installation by vibro Hammer is

15 to 20 DB quieter than any other

method which would really help

underwater noise pollution and I love

the way that it came about when we

thought about the mooding system there

were anchors in the market were very

expensive so the company decide okay

let's stop and think let's do our own

anchor system we have always a

collaborative approach where we work

with private sector and with Academia

all together and we got this very nice

uh Universal Ming anchor that will be a

solution for wave energy but also for

other markets for example floating

offshore wind and all these are winds

after the success of the C4 tests

they'll now be testing for all of the

arrays which will also be done off the

North Coast of Portugal with more boys

out at Sea in bigger arrays for longer

periods in potentially even bigger

storms a lot is riding on how well they

survived the violent and corrosive ocean

that's been the Nemesis of so many

systems but so far things are looking

positive with continued investment it

might not be long before Core Power

arrays can provide significant Renewable

Power to our energy grids in coastal

regions what I love about engineering is

how Innovation builds sometimes over

centuries layer on layer of success and

failure add up with core Powers

breakthroughs and continued development

commercial wave power is a lot closer

than it was and I can't wait to see how

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