Wavebob

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Wavebob is a leading wave energy converter that is currently being tested in the Atlantic Ocean near Galway in Ireland. Wavebob uses the lift and fall of waves to act on hydraulic pistons which in turn pump oil to drive generators.

Wave power has been tried before,with limited success. The claims made by its manufacturers on behalf of the Wavebob design are that it will be more efficient, cheaper to build, easier to maintain, and environmentally less intrusive.

A major part of the innovative endeavour relies on the control mechanism where the challenge is to cope with variability from mild swells to raging storms. Often there is an excess of wave energy off the West coast of Ireland. These structures must be able to absorb a variety of conditions and be robust to survive in the harsh marine environment.

The structures are controlled by a damping system that can respond to predicted wave height, wave power and frequency. The system adds or subtracts buoyancy to smooth out the variable load of the Atlantic.

Wavebob is currently under test in Galway Bay inside the Aran_Islands breakwater which means that it is only exposed to c. 1/3 of the expected energy of the 'Full Atlantic' over a one year period.