A cost effective alternative to rigid structural buoyancy for wave energy devices and other marine applications
NetBuoy™ aims to significantly improve the economics of wave power
NetBuoy™ can substantially reduce the construction and installation cost of wave energy converter prime movers. A pressurised reinforced elastomer buoy is restrained within a rope net. The net provides the load path between the compliant buoy and the power-take-off or structure.
NetBuoy™ focusses on two strands on the path towards cost-competitive wave energy. Firstly, impermeable fabrics to provide compliant and load shedding, peak-load resistant, buoyant modules. Secondly, fibre rope ‘load nets’ to encapsulate the buoyant modules, applying distributed restraint loads and agglomerating the distributed load back to a single or number of structural points to connect to the other parts of the WEC system, such as the PTO.
Innovation in marine renewable technologies
Tension Technology International Ltd has a track record of developing large net structures for marine applications, such as Riser Protection Nets (RPNs). For immediate commercialisation Tension Technology International Ltd has designed the net subsystem to be combined with and compatible with commercial off-the-shelf elastomeric fenders (e.g. Yokohama ship fenders). Bespoke geometries are also possible subject to tooling costs.
