Laminaria to demonstrate wave technology at EMEC

The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has signed Flemish wave energy developer Laminaria to test its innovative wave energy converter at EMEC’s grid-connected wave test site at Billia Croo, off the west coast of Orkney.

The official signing took place yesterday, in Edinburgh, coinciding with a visit by the Minister-President of Flanders, Geert Bourgeois.

Laminaria’s technology – a surge operated attenuator – has a bespoke storm protection system build in to enhance the survivability of the device, allowing it to remain operational during storm events.

Scale sea trials are already underway in Belgium to inform the design for the full-scale device that will undergo performance testing at EMEC in 2017.

Laminaria will be the first Belgian company to test at EMEC’s test sites.

EMEC Managing Director, Neil Kermode, said: “We have been pleased to welcome several visitors from the region of Flanders to EMEC recently, demonstrating an active interest in marine energy development for their impressive maritime community.

“We’re delighted to now announce that Laminaria will be testing their Flemish wave energy converter at EMEC, and look forward to working with them, and seeing the technology further develop as they move from Ostend to Orkney.”