MARMOK-A-5 is an offshore electrical power generator that uses wave energy to create electricity. This device is a spar buoy installed in the maritime testing site BiMEP, in the Bay of Biscay.[1][2][3] It is the first grid-connected maritime generator in Spain, and one of the first in the world.

Developed by the Basque company Oceantec Energias Marinas inside the European project OPERA,[4] it is delivering electrical energy to the grid since December 2016. The buoy is located in the ocean, 4 km from the coastline and is connected to the sea with a submarine electrical cable. With a nominal power of 30 kW, the principal aim of the MARMOK-A-5 device is obtaining results in the way of designing a new generation cost effective high power marine energy generator.[5]

Principle

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The operation principle of MARMOK-A-5 is a point absorber OWC (Oscillating Water Column). The device is 5m in diameter and a length of 42m,[6] 6m above the water. It has a weight of more than 80 tons. The buoy is floating in a 90m depth and is tied to the sea bed with a mooring system based on anchors. This wave energy converter has demonstrated its robustness surviving difficult environmental conditions with waves as big as 12m.

History

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As noted above, the concept was initially developed by Oceantec within the European OPERA project.

Further development in EuropeWave programme

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IDOM were one of seven companies awarded pre-commercial procurement funding in December 2021 for Stage 1 of the EuropeWave programme, to further develop the device concept.[7] In September 2022, they progressed to Stage 2 with additional funding for a Front-End Engineering and Design study of a scale-prototype to be tested at sea.[8] IDOM were one of three concepts that progressed to Stage 3, with a share of the €13.4m budget to develop and test a device at BiMEP for a year.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Wave energy device hits Bimep waters". Tidal Energy Today.
  2. ^ "Wave energy device successfully deployed at BiMEP site". Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. ^ "OCEANTEC deployed at BiMEP its first wave energy converter - OPERA H2020". OPERA H2020. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Open Sea Operating Experience to Reduce Wave Energy Cost". OPERA H2020 Project.
  5. ^ "Oceantec instala en BiMEP su primer dispositivo para el aprovechamiento de la energía de las olas". Tecnalia. 2016-10-13.
  6. ^ "Oceantec wave energy device online in Spain". Hydroworld. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. ^ Garanovic, Amir (2021-12-07). "EuropeWave picks lucky seven". Offshore Energy. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  8. ^ Garanovic, Amir (2022-09-22). "Five wave energy projects proceed to next phase of EuropeWave". Offshore Energy. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  9. ^ Garanovic, Amir (2023-09-05). "EuropeWave unveils top 3 wave energy finalists". Offshore Energy. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
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