Wello Oy’s wave energy converter (WEC) has been successfully installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney as part of the CEFOW (Clean Energy from Ocean Waves) project.
The Penguin WEC was deployed at EMEC’s grid-connected wave test site at Billia Croo, off the west coast of Orkney, over the weekend.
This marks a welcome return to Orkney, with Wello having first tested at EMEC’s Billia Croo site in 2012.The installation was carried out by Green Marine, an Orkney based marine services provider.Jason Schofield, managing director of Green Marine, oversaw the operations:
“The successful installation of the Penguin at EMEC this weekend was due to careful planning and a close working relationship between Green Marine and Wello Oy,” he said.
“The fantastic operational planning by the Green Marine team, utilising the weather windows at this time of year, allowed for a seamless operation.”Funded by the European Commission’s research and innovation programme Horizon 2020, CEFOW is a five-year project led by Fortum to develop and prove Wello’s Penguin in real-sea conditions.
Mikko Muoniovaara, senior project manager at Fortum, added:
“Deploying the Penguin in winter is an important milestone for us, providing valuable learning for both Fortum and Wello. Cost efficiency of operations and maintenance plays an important role in any renewables and Green Marine’s achievement shows that these operations can be done safely outside the summer season if needed.”