The SeAbacus is a floating wave energy converter of the point absorber type. It is efficient even in low-energy climates thanks to its modest inertia. It is scalable, small, modular and therefore installable in parks and at different depths.
| Patent title | Device and procedure for producing electrical energy from wave motion |
|---|---|
| Thematic area | Climate, Energy and Mobility |
| Ownership | ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA |
| Inventors | Elisa Dallavalle, Sara Mizar Formentin, Barbara Zanuttigh |
| Protection | Italy, with the possibility to extend internationally |
| Licensing status | Available for development agreements, option, license and other exploitation agreements |
| Keywords | Efficiency, Eco-compatibility, Modularity, Reliability, Circularity |
| Filed on | 15 February 2022 |
There are thousands of different patents for wave energy converters. However, very few have passed long-term offshore tests and even fewer commercialization, due to numerous technical elements that characterize these devices and that still make the production of wave energy excessively expensive: poor conversion efficiency, use of expensive raw materials, construction of highly inertial devices, need of bespoke facilities for the construction, very complex moorings, uncertain environmental impact, difficult installation and maintenance operations.
The SeAbacus is a floating device, therefore it does not require the construction of fixed and impacting structures on the shore or on the seabed. It is characterized by dimensions and moorings similar to those of a boat, thus ensuring a reduced visual and environmental impact. The innovativeness of the device lies in the simultaneous realization of the following conditions: i) the device allows to obtain energy from waves coming from all directions; ii) the device is made with recycled / recyclable materials; iii) the device is modular and can be installed in parks and integrated into existing platforms; iv) the device has low inertia to generate electricity even in mild seas; v) the device does not contain any exposed parts, to avoid the formation of debris in the sea; vi) the device can be installed in shallow to deep waters, and it is scalable from mild to energetic seas; vii) the device has a simple geometry, to minimize production costs, and it can be easily disassembled for maintenance, to minimize the costs of the operation.
Applications:
- Provide energy to ports and coastal communities without the need for major structural works
- Supply energy to small islands and areas of naturalistic interest
- Integrate into hybrid power generation installations
- Provide energy for the reuse of decommissioned offshore platforms
Advantages:
- High energy conversion efficiency
- Device modularity
- Power production also in mild wave climate
- Use of recycled or recyclable materials
- Device scalability
- Low production costs
- Low environmental impact