University of Exeter has deployed a new type of mooring rope at the Marmok-A-5 wave energy device, developed by Oceantec, at the BiMEP test site in the Bay of Biscay, Spain.
The elastomeric mooring tethers were developed and tested by renewable energy experts from the University of Exeter in the Dynamic Marine Component (DMaC) test facility, based at the Penryn Campus in Cornwall.
The two, 70 meter-long tethers have been installed as part of the wave device Marmok-A-5, which uses wave power to spin turbines that drive an associated electricity generator that can produce up to 30 kW.
The deployment operation has been executed by Marine Contractor Core Marine under the supervision of OPERA partners Oceantec and Tecnalia.
This wave energy technology development has been supported by the European project OPERA (Open Sea Operating Experience to Reduce Wave Energy Cost), a multi cross European project supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.
Professor Lars Johanning, principle investigator for the project and an expert in Ocean Technology from the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall said: “This was a long way from an original design idea towards seeing the full scale tether being installed in this field demonstration project and I’m proud of the team effort that has made this a reality, and I am particular thankful to Dr David Parish the lead inventor.”
The tethers, manufactured by Lankhorst Euronete, based in Paredes in Portugal, are part of the next phase of field demonstration over a 12-month period, replacing two conventional polyester ropes in the shared mooring system.
The purpose of the second deployment will be to demonstrate that elastomeric mooring components can address cost and durability challenges for marine renewable energy moorings.