Stroud based green energy company, Ecotricity, is planning to generate power from sea waves.
Founder Dale Vince said to Utility Week that the company is on track to deploy the Searaser prototype by autumn.
Searaser pumps seawater using a vertical piston between two buoys – one on the surface of the water – the other suspended underwater and tethered to a weight on the seabed. As the ocean swell moves, the buoys move up-and-down and the piston pumps pressurised seawater through pipes to an onshore turbine. This produces electricity.
Ecotricity has selected FabTest marine testing site in Falmouth to test its Searaser, where companies such as Fred Olsen are testing their wave devices.
Vince said the technology will become cheaper than offshore wind.
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Offshore WIND staff, June 15, 2012; Image: Ecotricity