The two companies are broadening their technological partnership to increase the number and capacity of the converters to be installed in the Mediterranean and in the oceans
Rome-Livorno, January 31st, 2014 The second phase of testing of Enel Green Power (EGP)s R115 marine wave energy converter developed by 40South Energy, with a nominal capacity of 150 kW, has now been kick-started.
The fully assembled machine will be launched from the Port of Livorno towards Punta Righini (Castiglioncello), in the Tuscan Archipelago. The event was attended by the Chief Executive Officer of EGP, Francesco Starace and by the CEO of 40South Energy, Michele Grassi.
The new converter was designed and built for Enel Green Power, the Enel Group renewables company and a world leader in this field, by 40South Energy, one of the most innovative companies at the international level in the marine energy sector. The machine ensures full integration into the marine environment and ease of maintenance.
Once fully operating, each of the R115 family converters will be able to generate around 220 thousand kWh per year, enough power to meet the needs of more than 80 households.
The results of the initial phase of testing confirmed the expected performance of the machine in a marine environment and the extreme ease of its installation. Furthermore, the testing revealed a number of refinements for making the machine more durable in water. Armed with this field experience, the partners are continuing to work on optimising the materials and structure of the machine with the goal of soon installing other machines of the same class in the Mediterranean Sea and in an ocean environment, particularly off the coasts of Chile and the United States.
As a result of this successful testing, EGP and 40South Energy further strengthened their technological partnership in order to develop, through 40South Energy, a new wave energy converter with a nominal capacity of 2 MW, building upon the operational systems employed and maintaining the essential features of the model currently being tested. In pursuing such activities, the two companies are relying on the know-how gained through the R115 as well as benefitting from EGP experience on Operation & Maintenance of renewable generation facilities at the global level.
The installation of this first device to exploit wave motion to generate electricity increases the already broad spectrum of technologies available to Enel Green Power - hydro, solar, wind, geothermal and biomass - a feature that, together with geographical diversification, makes Enel Green Power unique at the global level.
Enel Green Power is the Enel Group company fully dedicated to the development and management of renewable energy sources at the international level, with operations in Europe and the Americas. The company generated more than 25 billion kWh in 2012 from water, sun, wind and the Earths heat - enough to meet the energy needs of approx. 10 million households and avoid the emission of over 18 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Enel Green Power is a world leader in the sector thanks to its well-balanced generation mix, providing generation volumes well over the sector average. The company has an installed capacity of more than 8,700 MW from a mix of sources including wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass. Currently, the company has approximately 740 plants operating in 16 countries in Europe and the Americas.
40South Energy is a group that designs, manufactures and markets wave energy converters. Founded by Michele Grassi in 2007, the group is currently present in 3 countries: in the UK, with 40South Energy Ltd, the parent company and offices in London and Plymouth, in Pisa (Italy) with 40South Energy Srl, and in Palo Alto (California) with the recently-founded 40South Energy Inc. The parent company primarily carries out research and technological development and commercial promotion activities, while the Italian company mainly conducts research and technological development and builds and tests prototypes. In 2012, the group established a cooperative relationship with the University of Plymouth in England and designed the first commercial R115 model with a nominal capacity of 150 kW. The first customer for the machine was Enel Green Power. The group is also undertaking, either directly or through local partners, the authorization process for wave energy parks in England, Italy, India and many other countries.
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