ISSUE Technology Feature: The Oyster 16

April 2013 Featuring: Aquamarine Power In the latest edition of our newsletter, LRI interviewed Martin McAdam, CEO at Aquamarine Power. Their wave-powered energy converter - Oyster - is among the leading technologies in About Us the UK’s burgeoning sector. A commercial scale demonstration project is currently operational, and the sites for GreenTechEurope.com Aquamarine Power’s prospective wave farms have been secured (GTE) is a production of and fully permitted. The company is currently looking for London Research corporate equity investors to provide £30m to complete their

International (LRI), a global commercialisation program. research and consulting

firm with expertise in the Sooner than you think: utility scale marine energy The Oyster device is a buoyant, hinged flap energy, environment, and Who is Aquamarine Power? which is attached to the seabed at depths of between 10 infrastructure sectors. GTE Aquamarine Power is an Edinburgh based wave and 15 metres, around half a kilometre from the shore. is a video-based energy technology and project developer which technology platform Oyster's hinged flap - which is almost entirely underwater conducts their R&D with Queen’s University Belfast - pitches backwards and forwards in the near-shore showcasing innovative and demonstrates their technology in the waves. The movement of the flap drives two hydraulic technologies from Europe. Islands, . Their unique approach to pistons which push high pressure water onshore via a developing both the technology and the project site The GTE Newsletter subsea pipeline to drive a conventional hydro-electric is aimed at easing the obstacles within the process turbine. Our interview -based of project development to pave the way for prospective developers and generators to invest in newsletter features Timeline marine energy. innovative energy 2001 - Professor Trevor Whittaker's research and

technologies and development team at Queen's University, Belfast begins to businesses from around the Oyster technology research flap-type wave power. The R&D team's research world. Aquamarine Power's Oyster wave energy converter ultimately leads to the development of the Oyster wave captures energy in near-shore waves and converts it Announcements energy device. into clean sustainable electricity. Essentially Oyster is 2003 - Scale model testing of Oyster begins

GreenTechEurope.com has a wave-powered pump which pushes high pressure 2005 – Oyster technology attracts funding from Allan been uploading footage water to drive an onshore hydro-electric turbine. Thomson, shot over the autumn at

Renewable UK 2012 and

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Image courtesy of Aquamarine Power

Copyright London Research International Competitive Edge Aquamarine Power plans to install the the retired founder of , the Markets and regions next-generation Oyster 801 next to What makes the Oyster UK's first ever wave power company. Most immediately, Aquamarine Oyster 800 at EMEC. The two machines different? He co-founds Aquamarine Power to Power has leased the seabed and is will be connected to the same onshore commercialise Oyster. on the verge of gain ing permissions  It is the first marine energy hydroelectric power station, which will 2009 - 2011 – The success of the for a 40MW wave farm off the coast technology to be DNV be the first step in showing how a wave accredited. (DNV are the Oyster 1 demonstration project of the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. In farm of multiple Oysters will operate. leading international provider confirms the feasibility of the partnership with the energy of services for managing risk. The second-generation Oyster 801 will company SSE, they have also Their accreditation is required technology in the marine maintain the three key selling points of before taking a technology to environment secured a lease on the seabed off the first Oyster machine. These are market). 2012 – Sea trials of the Oyster 800 the west coast of Orkney. These simplicity, survivability and shore-based commence at the European Marine locations are at an advanced stage  Its proximity to the near-shore electricity generation. offers ease of access for Energy Centre in Orkney (EMEC), to of preparation for the development installation and O&M. Both demonstrate the feasibility of of marine energy installations. will translate to lower cost of Installation commercial scale installations. Aquamarine Power is also energy, but access for O&M in Oysters are installed in two stages. The particular will ensure higher 2013 – First period of continuous 24 conducting more preliminary site first stage is to install a monopole reliability of energy hour operation. First MWhs of power assessments off the coast of Ireland generation, which is significant foundation into the seabed using a jack delivered to the grid. and in the USA. This indicates the for proving technologies in up barge, in a similar manner to offshore early stages of confidence the company has in the wind turbines. The second stage is to commercialisation. Commercial scale marine energy prospects of the technology and tow the Oyster machine over this their ambitions to have a range of  By generating electricity demonstration foundation and then engage it with the possible locations available when onshore with a hydroelectric Oyster 800 has a maximum pile using small work boats such as tugs. turbine, the reliability of the commercial roll- out becomes generating capacity of 800kW. The For Oyster 800, the connection to the system is enhanced again. viable. In addition to this, Martin Essentially this is because machine measures 26 metres across foundation piles is permanently grouted, McAdam envisages Oyster being performing O&M on land its width, weighs around 1000 but future Oysters will be placed on requires less equipment and applied in the context of island tonnes, and is installed at a depth of their foundations with mechanical fewer procedures making it communities, which not only require quicker and less costly to around 13 metres, approximately 500 connections. This will be a prepared off grid energy sources, but require perform. metres from the shore. socket in the seabed, which will allow solutions to obtaining fresh water. Martin McAdam is keen to the easy detachment and reconnection Oyster offers this solution by emphasise that as an emerging Aquamarine Power has been able to of Oysters before and after onshore industry, it is less the competitive make significant design providing pumped water at the high maintenance. edge of the individual marine improvements through lessons pressures required in the reverse technologies, but the vibrancy of the sector as a whole which is learned from Oyster 1. This means Maintenance osmosis process used in significant to commercial that Oyster 800 offers a reduced cost desalinisation. Oyster 800 was designed to have success. He likens it to an of power achieved through removable modules to allow ecosystem in which project Industry perspective developers have the choice of increased power generation, a maintenance to be carried out onshore Martin McAdam suggests that several technologies that occupy simplified marine installation process wherever possible. This has been different niches. progress in the offshore wind and easier routine maintenance. demonstrated successfully on several industry is helping to pave the way At present the sector is Martin McAdam also suggests that occasions. For future Oyster machines, characterised by SME’s. For the for the marine industry. It has improvements in hydrodynamic Aquamarine Power intends to use the industry to flourish, it is important provided a learning experience for for several companies to succeed performance and reducing the losses same philosophy of removing modules project developers and contractors so that a mutually supportive in converting captured energy into for small repairs, but will also be able to supply chain is created. This will operating in the offshore electricity, will allow Oyster remove the entire Oyster for more major help pave the way to mass environment that shou ld be at least production of the technologies. installations to exceed 1MW in maintenance activities. Divers are used partially transferable. capacity in the next 3-4 years. for minor interventions and inspection,

although Aquamarine Power is always

looking at ways to reduce this.

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For More Information on Aquamarine Power

Contact Points

PR Neil Davidson – Public Affairs Manager neil.davidson@aquamarinep Images courtesy of Aquamarine Power ower.com In spite of this there are always Martin McAdam points to the teething problems in the supply and The wider perspective is that we credibility of their financial Senior Management should expect to see an industry forecasting and the strong support service chains of any early stage industry when it comes to the first with an installed capacity the industry receives from the Martin McAdam - Chief steps of commercial roll-out. approaching 1 GW in the early 2020’s Scottish Government as evidence Executive Officer However, in their Marine Energy that this target is attainable. martin.mcadam@aquamarine Business model Roadmap, the Scottish Government power.com Aquamarine Power will approach In search of investment has taken significant steps to identify project development by preparing To take Oyster from the current Edinburgh, Scotland (Head and address obstacles facing the Office) the site - through obtaining the demonstration phase to a full-scale industry’s supply chain, as well the Elder House various permissions from near-shore commercial roll-out, Martin issues surrounding finance, planning 24 Elder Street stakeholders – to then be taken on McAdam sees it necessary to gain Edinburgh and the grid. Martin McAdam is EH1 3DX by an actual project developer. They the continued investment from unequivocal about the positive T:+44 131 524 1440 will license the project developer public funds, existing shareholders, impact the support provided by the F:+44 131 524 1444 the use of the technology, and will and acquire a new corporate government strategy will have on the assist them in a consulting capacity equity investor. speed the industry matures. He also as opposed to developing the Aquamarine Power requires For more information visit looks at the early days of the offshore project themselves. additional investment of Aquamarine Power’s wind industry and envisages that approximately £30m to complete website: there will be parallels in how marine Martin McAdam suggests a crucial their commercialisation program. http://www.aquamarinepow projects are developed. This will target for the success of marine The ideal corporate investor will be er.com/ initially see technology manufacturers technology is initially matching the comfortable with large scale developing projects whilst their cost of offshore wind; an industry machine fabrication, possess technology is still being proven at which is aiming to reduce costs by manufacturing capability, commercial scale, maturing to a 30% by 2020, to £100 per MWh. knowledge of operating in the model where project developers Aquamarine Power is aiming to offshore environment and capable become more heavily involved. undercut this cost by the mid-2020s. in the logistics associated with

deploying technology worldwide. The Oyster in Summary

Simple  Mechanical offshore device  Minimal underwater moving parts Shore-based electricity generation  No control system, gearbox or shut-down mode  Keeps electricity out of the water  No complex offshore electronics  Minimal ecological impact on marine environment Survivable  Easy to access

 Hinged flap ducks under largest waves  Reliable proven hydro-electric plant  Nearshore location  Robust offshore structure  Operates even in storm conditions

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