The First Full Operative U-OWC Plants in the Port of Civitavecchia

Abstract

The Resonant Wave Energy Converter 3 (REWEC3) is a wave energy converter belonging to the family of Oscillating Water Columns (OWCs). It comprises an oscillating water column and an air pocket connected to a turbine, as for traditional OWCs. In addition, it has a small vertical U-shaped duct used for connecting the water column to the open wave field. Because of this particular geometrical configuration, it is also known as U-Oscillating Water Column (U-OWC). During the past decade, small scale field experiments and theoretical analyses proved its potential for full scale applications. Currently, a full-scale prototype has been operating in the Port of Civitavecchia (Rome, Italy), where a REWEC3 was constructed within the context of a major port enlargement. This paper shows some results of the monitoring activity on a single chamber equipped with pressure gauges. The results show some initial energetic performances of the REWEC3 in wind-generated seas.

Economic Feasibility of Wave Energy Farms in Portugal

“…However, depending on their working principle, they can be classified as oscillating water columns, oscillating bodies, and overtopping devices [2,3]. The oscillating water column device works using an air turbine (Pico [4], LIMPET, Sakata, Mutriku [5], Mighty Whale [6], Ocean Energy, SPERBOY [7], Oceanlinx [8], and REWEC3 [9]); the oscillating bodies work with a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic turbine, and a linear electrical generator (AquaBuOY [10], IPS Buoy [11], FO3 [12], PowerBuoy [12], Wavebob [13], Pelamis [14,15], PS Frog [16], SEAREV [17], AWS (Archimedes Waveswing Submerged) [18], WaveRoller [19], and Oyster [20]); and the overtopping concept works with a low-head hydraulic turbine (TAPCHAN [21], SSG (Sea Slot-cone Generator) [22], and Wave Dragon [23]). They can also be classified by considering the water depth that they were designed to operate in; fixed (less than 50 m of depth or onshore) or floating (more than 50 m of depth) or the distance to shore [24].…”

Development of Green Ports with the Consideration of Coastal Wave Energy

“…Among existing types of wave energy converters, only some types are appropriate to be entirely embedded in the breakwaters of ports, such as Oscillating Water Column and Over Topping Device [30][31][32]. In this case, the total construction cost of wave energy converters and breakwaters could be lower, and the overall benefit will be increased.…”

Experimental Study of a Hybrid Wave Energy Converter Integrated in a Harbor Breakwater

“…In this regard, a wide variety of concepts to harvest ocean wave energy are available [14] and some shoreline technologies are already in an advanced phase of development, namely the technologies based on overtopping phenomena [11,15,16] and oscillating water column [17][18][19][20] principles. Nevertheless, to support this approach it is important to reduce the high LCoE of wave energy, namely though a reduction of the investment costs (e.g., construction and installation of the energy conversion technology) and an increase of the technology's productivity.…”

“…The project involves the development of a hybrid WEC based on the combination of an oscillating water column (OWC) and an overtopping based WEC (OWEC), having as reference application the North breakwater of the Port of Leixões, located at the northwest coast of Portugal. Although hybrid devices are uncommon, there has been extensive individual study on both the [21] and the OWEC [22] technologies, including already implanted solutions such as the Resonant Wave Energy Converter 3 (REWEC3) [19,20] or the Overtopping Breakwater for Energy Conversion (OBREC) [23]. Therefore, there exists an opportunity in the combination of these two solutions into a single system able of, a priori, incorporating the advantages of each WEC, whilst mitigating their inherent weaknesses.…”