Performance Evaluation of the Wavestar Prototype

Wave Star has produced and installed a test and demonstration Wave Energy Converter (WEC) by Roshage pier near Hanstholm at the west coast of Denmark. The test unit is a prototype test section of a complete commercial WEC. After an initial period of finalizing the installation and testing, the WEC was launched for production in January 2010 and in May 2010 automatic unmanned operation was initiated. The number of operational hours per month has increased significantly during the following months, but experience with the initial period of continuous automatic unmanned operation has shown difficulties in ensuring the ability to be in daily operation 24/7/365. During the period from January 2010 to April 2011 the control software has been updated three times, and significant increases in the measured power levels have been confirmed. The measurement points have verified the expected level of harvested power, although further development of the control system is expected to increase the level further.