Pelamis Wave Power

Pelamis Wave Power
Name	Pelamis Wave Power Ltd.
Type	Private
Fate	Administration (2014)
Founded	1998
Defunct	2014
Headquarters	Leith, Edinburgh
Industry	Renewable energy
Products	Wave energy converters
Key people	Richard Yemm, Bruce Wood, David Pritchard

Pelamis Wave Power

Pelamis Wave Power was a Scottish renewable energy company that developed semi-submerged attenuator wave energy converters. Founded in Leith, Edinburgh, Pelamis sought to convert ocean wave motion into electricity for grid supply, pursuing commercialization through engineering, project development, and pilot deployments.

History

Pelamis Wave Power was established in 1998 by engineers including Richard Yemm and later joined by executives such as Bruce Wood and David Pritchard. The company spun out from early wave energy research linked to institutions like the University of Edinburgh and collaborations with firms such as ScottishPower Renewables and ABB. Pelamis attracted investment from entities including Siemens and venture capital with ties to Scottish Enterprise and private investors. Significant milestones included the first full-scale prototype deployment near Islay and commercial-scale projects planned with utilities like Edinburgh-based SSE plc and international partners in Portugal and Australia. Financial pressures and changes in the renewables market contributed to Pelamis entering administration in November 2014, after which assets and intellectual property influenced successor activities in the sector.

Technology and design

Pelamis designed a serial-articulated, semi-submerged attenuator device comprised of cylindrical sections linked by hydraulic joints. Each device converted relative motion into electrical power through hydraulic rams driving hydraulic motors and generators supplied by collaborators such as ABB. Hydraulics and power take-off systems were engineered for survivability in extreme metocean conditions studied by organizations like Met Office and testing bodies such as EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre). Structural analysis referenced standards from classification societies including Lloyd's Register and marine design guidance from DNV. Mooring and electrical export systems interfaced with offshore substations similar to projects by National Grid and subsea cable suppliers like NEK-type contractors. Control systems drew on expertise from research groups at the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University.

Operations and deployments

Prototype and commercial deployments included the early full-scale machine tested at the European Marine Energy Centre off Orkney and the 2004–2011 commercial array deployment at Agucadoura in Portugal under agreements with developers such as Enersis-linked operators. The company executed marine operations with partners including MHI-class vessel contractors, marine logistics firms tied to Caledonian MacBrayne and port facilities at Leith Docks. Maintenance and sea trials involved collaboration with institutions like Scottish Environmental Protection Agency-monitored agencies and survey support from firms such as Fugro. International activities extended to planned projects with utilities like Alinta Energy in Western Australia and research collaborations with the University of Adelaide.

Performance and economics

Performance metrics for Pelamis devices were reported in terms of capacity factor, levelized cost of energy (LCOE), and survivability benchmarks used by investors like Siemens Financial Services and policy bodies such as the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change. Early machines demonstrated grid-connected generation, with measured power capture varying with wave climate data from sources like the Met Office and hindcast studies by Bureau of Meteorology (Australia). Cost drivers included fabrication at yards comparable to Clyde-built shipyards, mooring and subsea cable installation costs similar to offshore wind projects involving contractors like Siemens Wind Power, and operations and maintenance burdens studied by consultancies such as McKinsey & Company and Black & Veatch. Funding mechanisms engaged public investors like Scottish Enterprise and grant programs analogous to those administered by the European Commission.

Environmental and regulatory considerations

Environmental assessments for Pelamis deployments addressed impacts on marine mammals monitored by organizations like Sea Mammal Research Unit, seabirds studied by Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and benthic habitats surveyed with protocols from Marine Scotland. Regulatory permitting required engagement with agencies including Marine Scotland, the Crown Estate, and consenting regimes akin to those overseen by Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot). Navigational safety consultations invoked guidance from Trinity House and coordination with shipping regulators such as Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Environmental monitoring programs paralleled work done by Natural Resources Wales and research centers like Plymouth Marine Laboratory.

Legacy and successor projects

Although Pelamis entered administration, its design knowledge, patents, and operational lessons influenced successor projects and companies including spin-outs and researchers at Ocean Power Technologies-linked groups, academic teams at the University of Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt University, and commercial efforts by entities such as Wave Energy Scotland. The Pelamis program informed policy discussions at bodies like Scottish Renewables and infrastructure planning by Crown Estate Scotland, contributing to technology roadmaps for wave and tidal energy alongside projects such as MeyGen and wave projects pursued in Portugal and Australia. The intellectual heritage persists in marine energy test centers like EMEC and in industry consortia engaging firms including Siemens, ABB, and national funding agencies.

Category:Wave energy converters Category:Renewable energy companies of Scotland Category:Defunct companies of the United Kingdom