[Seminar @C210] Krisna Pawitan, OIST Wave Energy Converter (WEC) Project: from Paper to Reality

Speaker: Krisna Pawitan / Tsumoru Shintake (Quantum Wave Microscopy Unit)

Title: OIST Wave Energy Converter (WEC) Project: from Paper to Reality

Abstract: Ocean waves are powerful. Along with the increasing demand of (sustainable) electricity around the world, wave energy remains as one of the biggest untapped resources of renewable energy. There have been plenty of wave energy converters (WECs) invented in the past, but very few were managed to be developed until the full-scale prototype deployment. There are several problems that consistently contribute to this rarity, such as extremely high production and installation cost, harsh environmental condition during operation, low efficiency, and other external factor (e.g. lack of main grid support). OIST Wave Energy Converter (WEC) team uses these knowledges as the starting design points. The WEC design concept, therefore, emphasis on simplicity in design, low production cost, near-shore location (low installation cost), and high efficiency. This device utilised enormous power of breaking wave to rotate a turbine (which connected to an electric generator). Because of this, this device is most suitable to be placed in the breaking wave region. This talk will discuss current journey of OIST WEC project development, including initial conceptual design and testing.

Please note a different venue this week. The seminar will be held at C210 (Center Building)

After the talk, please join for discussion with free soft drinks and pizza!