Intensive Testing to Validate for Robustness
The wave technology developed by SEATURNS is based on an innovative concept that converts the movement of waves into electricity. The system uses a cylindrical wave energy converter (WEC) held in place by a patented anchoring solution, transforming the horizontal movement of the waves into a pitching motion.
Inside the WEC, a water pendulum and air chambers generate a flow of air that drives a turbine coupled to an alternator, producing electricity.
As part of a collaborative research partnership, SEATURNS and IFREMER launched a 1/4-scale prototype (3 m long by 1.5 m in diameter) in October 2023 at the Saint-Anne du Portzic test site, located at the entrance to Brest harbor and managed by IFREMER. SEATURNS submitted its technology to an environment close to real-life conditions. The tests were carried out for 18 months in two phases: the first with a simplified system, and the second with an air turbine, producing electricity transmitted to shore via the export cable.
In addition to waves, wind, and tide, sensors measured WEC movements, tension in the anchor lines, and energy production. This enabled SEATURNS to better understand the behavior of the WEC in a sea state made up of irregular waves.
The prototype withstood all weather conditions: corrosion, bio-colonization, and weather conditions, including storm Ciarán, with waves reaching the equivalent of 15 meters at scale 1.
A Design Conceived for the Sea
The prototype’s development is based on five pillars: A rational design for optimal integration at sea. Optimized manufacturing to reduce costs. Simplified installation to facilitate deployment at sea. Easy maintenance to ensure fast, efficient servicing and, finally, an environmental impact that is more respectful of the environment than fossil fuels. These strategic choices will significantly reduce production and operating costs compared with competing technologies.
Full-Scale Testing in 2025 to Achieve Commercialization
Driven by a dynamic of accelerating development, SEATURNS plans to launch full-scale tests in 2025 on the SEM-REV site, a research laboratory dedicated to marine energies and managed by the OPEN-C Foundation, in the Pays-de-la-Loire region of France. This decisive step will confirm the system’s performance under representative offshore conditions.
To find out more about SEATURNS, visit: https://seaturns.com/
