Islay LIMPET
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Islay LIMPET is the world’s first commercial wave power device connected to the National Grid. It is located on the Scottish island of Islay, since 2000. Islay LIMPET (Land Installed Marine Power Energy Transmitter) was developed by Wavegen in cooperation with Queen's University Belfast. The capacity of Islay LIMPET is 500 kW.
[edit] Technology
Islay LIMPET is an oscillating water column which is supplied with two Wells turbines[citation needed]. The oscillating water column consists of an inclined concrete tube with its opening below the water level. As external wave action causes the water level in the collector to oscillate, the variation in water level alternately compresses and decompresses the trapped air above causing air to flow backwards and forwards through a pair of contra-rotating turbines.