New frying pan-like wave energy converter set to receive certification

CETO, a fully submersible wave energy converter (WEC) from Australian company Carnegie Clean Energy, is seeking certification from Lloyd’s Register, the maritime industry’s classification society, to show that its technology is compliant with the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IECRE) renewable energy system, a press release said.

As the world struggles to meet growing demand for energy from wind and solar, the vast energy reserves available on 70 percent of the Earth remain untapped. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that kinetic energy in tidal waves could single-handedly meet 60 percent of U.S. energy needs.

However, an obstacle to achieving this goal has been the development of a cost-effective and efficient design that could convert wave energy into electricity that could be delivered through the grid.

Wave Energy Converters

Interesting engineering previously reported on a number of WEC projects that aim to harness the kinetic energy of waves. To the uninitiated, the floating projects resemble giant onions floating on the surface of the water or snakes moving across the surface of the water.

On the other hand, the CETO Carnegie Clean Energy is much more subdued. Still, it could be mistaken for a pan submerged in water. Its flat, submerged design makes it easy to set up without alerting beachgoers, while also protecting marine life.

Named after the Greek goddess of the sea, CETO, the device has a buoyant actuator that generates zero-emission electricity from wave motion. The prototype was developed at the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) in the Basque Country in Spain and is expected to be deployed in 2025.

Certification process

Even as it awaits implementation results, Carnegie Clean Energy wants to demonstrate that its wave energy technology is on par with solar and wind power devices that are commercially deployed around the world.

It asked Lloyd’s Register to assess the CETO device in accordance with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IECRE) Renewable Energy System Operational Document OD-310-4.

A team of six experts will now evaluate the innovative aspects of the CETO project through the IECRE Technology Qualification process, determine its feasibility, validate the technology and provide a Statement of Conformity for Technology Qualification.

This would be an important step for CETO to take on the path to obtaining type certification.

“With the growing interest in IECRE certification for offshore energy converters, I am pleased to note Carnegie Clean Energy’s interest in obtaining certification under the Conformity Assessment Scheme for their WEC,” said Winston D’Souza, Global Technical Authority for Offshore Renewables at Lloyd’s Register in a press release.

“Partnering with Lloyd’s Register in this process is an important step forward in the development of CETO,” added Alexandre Pichard, Chief Technology Officer at Carnegie Clean Energy. “Carnegie’s pursuit of IECRE certification for its CETO device is a strategic step in the commercialization of CETO, providing multi-faceted benefits.”

“By aligning CETO with international standards, the company is moving towards wider technology adoption and a future where wave energy will be a competitive solution in our global energy mix,” concluded Pichard.