Wave energy tests show buoy can provide constant electricity

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Feb 7, 2012

Ocean Power Technologies Inc. said its PowerBuoy is able to provide consistent power for offshore equipment for the U.S. Navy.

The tests were performed off the coast of New Jersey for the Navy’s Littoral Expeditionary Autonomous PowerBuoy (LEAP) program. The project called for a payload power delivery on a continuous basis of 150 W, though the actual output reportedly was 400 W for the duration of the deployment. Peak sustained electrical power was 1,500 W, according to a release. An on-board power management and storage system allowed the payload to be supplied with powerduring extended periods of zero wave activity.

The PowerBuoy was moored at a depth of about 121 feet and was in the direct path of Hurricane Irene, which hit the New Jersey coast in August 2011. The unit withstood waves of up to 50 feet and remained undamaged and fully operational, according to a release.

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