August 25 2009
The financial crisis has caused a delay in the plans for deploying the first full scale Wave Dragon.
Wave Dragon is currently seeking venture capital.
Timetable
End 2010 - Wave Dragon hopes to have successfully acquired our consents
End 2010 - Constructions begins
During 2011/2012 - Deployment and grid connection
Background Information
Wave Dragon’s Renewable Energy Technology
Wave Dragon is a large-scale technology for the generation of electricity from ocean wave energy. Invented by Erik Friis-Madsen, it has been developed with funding support from the European Union, the Welsh Development Agency, the Danish Energy Authority and the Danish Utilities PSO Programme.
A 1:4.5 scale prototype launched in 2003 was the world’s first offshore grid-connected wave energy conversion device. Deployed off the coast of Denmark at Nissum Bredning, this test unit has accumulated over 20,000 hours of experience supplying electricity to domestic homes. Wave Dragon has achieved a breakthrough in wave energy conversion efficiencies. Excellent sites for wave energy power stations exist around the world, typically located 5-25km offshore, including the whole of Europe’s Atlantic coastline.
Generating electricity from ocean wave energy avoids the release of carbon dioxide associated with power stations which burn natural gas, oil or coal. Wave Dragon’s technology allows energy generation on the same scale as traditional power plants. Extensive commercial deployment should contribute materially to the reduction of carbon emissions and their known effect on global climate change.
Wave Dragon’s Full-Scale Demonstrator in Wales
Wave Dragon is ready to construct and deploy a full-scale commercial demonstration unit in Pembrokeshire. With a capacity of 7 MW, this unit will be built at Pembroke Dock and will be located two to three miles off St Ann’s Head and tested for three to five years only, in order to gain operational experience and knowledge of energy transfer efficiencies. Even this single demonstrator unit should produce enough clean and green electricity each year to meet the annual demand of between 2000 and 3000 homes, subject to grid connection capacity. This clean generation will offset the release of about 10 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, the main greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and climate change. In a high energy wave climate, as found off the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland, one Wave Dragon unit will produce 50 GWh per year, offsetting 39 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide when comparing with coal-based power production.
The temporary demonstration site has been selected to be close to manufacturing facilities in South Wales and to connections to the local electricity grid. It is out of the way of major shipping lanes and other hazards. This initial Wave Dragon location is close to shore to allow frequent testing and promotional visits. Once the demonstration is completed successfully, future commercial wave farms will be further offshore to make use of more powerful sea conditions. They will be invisible from the coast.
For further information please contact Iain Russell (0044 (0) 7968060483) or
Hans Christian Sørensen (Chairman of the Board) (004528110219)