SWEL
Sea Wave Energy Ltd
Sea wave energy limited (SWEL) is a R&D company based in Cyprus & the UK that has been focused on the design and development of its wave energy converter (WEC) – The “Wave Line Magnet”, a wave energy converter that has been evolved for more than 10 years achieving numerous patents. The company’s technology is a robust and durable WEC that can supply substantial power on demand at a low cost, with minimal maintenance and can be deployed in any wave environment.
The world's most efficient, low-cost wave energy converter
SWEL BREAK THROUGH RESULTS
A Raw mechanical power output down to 1p/kWh crushing the wave industry reference value, putting the technology in its full capability on par with fossil fuels.
SWEL claims that a single Waveline Magnet device, scaled to suit the wave climate at EMEC, would satisfy more than the hubs current grid-connection capabilities.
SWEL has developed and tested their devices in wave tanks and live sea environment. The R&D indicates that even in its current development state, the Waveline Magnet can produce substantial power levels at an exceptionally low cost, competing even with non-renewable sources.
The attributable market share to Wave Energy, with current feed-in tariffs, create an annual market valued in excess of £10.7 Billion for the United Kingdom alone.
Key Features
Ultra Low Cost
The Waveline Magnet’s has an inherently low cost of manufacture due to the low mass of materials used, such as plastics and reinforced plastics. SWEL’s technology uses materials and components that can be found and supplied without the need for new specialised production lines or a huge new infrastructure to accommodate it. This keeps the cost of production very low and due to its modular lightweight design the cost of deployment and retrieval are also drastically reduced.
Low Mass
The Waveline Magnet occupies only a few centimetres of the covered surface area (above and below the surface) requiring a low mass of materials per square metre of the device.
Low Maintenance
The simplistic modular design of the Waveline Magnet has the added advantage of being easily repaired, maintained, produced and transported. This allows the possibility of mass production of the device with turnaround times for both the manufacture & deployment of the WM to impressively short periods, i.e weeks rather than months.
Robust
The robustness of the device is inherent due to its unique interaction with the moving forces of the sea. Rather than coming into conflict with the wave the device moves with the wave eliminating survivability problems but also keeping maintenance & repair costs to a minimum.
High Output
The wave energy converter is designed to embrace the surface of the sea, or the ‘wave line’ as it is often referred to by SWEL. This allows the WEC to become one moving mass with the wave itself creating a unique interaction that allows SWEL to regulate how much energy is extracted from the wave in a controlled and non-disruptive manner. The seamless and frictionless interaction is a matchless characteristic of the technology that allows it to work in harmony and in synchronization with the deployed sea area producing high levels of power irrespective of the wave profile or weather conditions.
Recycled Materials
The Waveline Magnet is a device that will not contribute to the growing problem of material waste as the bulk of the device can be produced from recycled materials.
About us
When harnessed effectively, oceans prove to be one of the largest reserves of clean and sustainable energy on Earth. Wave power has been identified as the most attractive marine renewable sector due to the potential size of its market and with no clear device or technology leader having emerged until now!
SWEL is not only set to change the wave energy arena, but will become a major contributor to solving current climate change issues.
SWEL R&D has led to the perfect WEC, boasting a levelised cost of energy below the 2020 target today and significantly achieves where all other technologies fail.
SWEL can demonstrate how their breakthrough technology challenges the conventional understanding of how the power of a wave may be harnessed and converted to produce astonishing results.
Collaborate
SWEL is always looking to improve and collaborate with other experts in a bid to brings its Waveline Magnet WEC to commercialisation sooner. With a clear development schedule and route to commercialisation, there has never been a better time to work with us:
Engineering
Wave & tidal experts get in touch to learn what the WLM does differently.
Materials
Materials Engineers your expertise can help increase power output, minimise environmental impact and reduce cost further.
Facilities
In order to refine our WEC and understand this important breakthrough, we require access to facilities
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FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
At this point SWEL shares are not traded. However, in the near future this may change so please keep an eye on our news section. You may also be informed by email if anything changes via our mailing list. Regarding interest for strategic investors for the next phase of development, you are welcome to send an email via the contact page.
We are not yet providing internships or employment. If this happens to change in the future it will be posted on our website and LinkedIn page. You may connect with us there and follow the company social pages to see the updates as they come along.
The system has been and will be inspected from all angles by multiple specialists regarding its impact before any commercial application. The system due to its harmonious and secure interaction with the climate may even be used strategically as an artificial reef and place for marine life, this has been witnessed. Even beyond its applications in energy the technology has the ability to be applied in many industries. For example, algae farming, floating solar, fish farming etc. In small scale applications systems will be visible from coasts but that is a small price to pay for carbon neutral power. We think it’s quite nice to look at actually.
The sea is considered a “harsh” environment because it is one of the great unknowns. Electricity and sea waves can be very similar in some ways. For example, is a wire carrying 100 megawatts of power (a monstruous amount) dangerous to use? There are two answers; yes, if you use the wrong connector to capture that power. If the power is understood and the correctly rated connector is used to harness that power it is completely safe. The WLM is the connector and key to harnessing wave power. The idea of the ocean being a harsh environment is non-existent using this approach just simply more energy availability versus less. The industry’s common approach of having to deactivate other WEC technologies or having to shed power during storms is a ridiculous contradiction to the goal of wave power. Having more power available and not being able to use it. ALL objects in the sea that displace water (ships, other WEC’s) are at the mercy of the environment where they have no control over forces, they encounter thus they face problems during storms. The WLM is the only technology designed to be connected with the Waveline (energy) and can never leave that point in space, for this reason it has full command over the forces it encounters, it cannot sink. In a few words, with the correct materials, anchoring and design for the power availabilities of a given wave profile the system can stay there forever with minimal maintenance.
The WLM is comprised of 4 basic components the spine, levers, platforms and power take-off. Smaller systems will be assembled in coastal areas (ports) within a few hours, and in small numbers tugged to their anchoring point. Regarding larger numbers or large-scale industrial production systems will be assembled, deployed using specialised vessels on location.
All manufacturers are facing issues with what materials should be utilised for the best sustainability and minimal impacts. The beauty of the Waveline Magnet is it can be constructed with almost any material. Plastic or plastic-like materials are one of the most resistant in sea water and have the ability not to release any contaminants in the water with minimal processing, it is also recyclable and when anchored and secured as a WLM platform will not be a threat to the ecosystem. The final material of choice will be certified with the appropriate bodies to safeguard the marine ecosystem.
We are welcoming and accepting suggestions from Greenpeace or anyone, for what is the best materials to use, all things considered. Why? Because this technology is for the people.
The missing link to the fruition of wave energy is the connector to the kinetic energy available in the wave. The WLM harnesses and tames this power into a power take-off which uses sea water as a working fluid, consequently, having no possible contamination risk if a leak was to occur. The output of constant flow and pressure can be applied to essentially any conversion technology. There is a vast abundance of organisations specialised in producing such systems for hydrogen, electricity, desalination and more. Apart from this, the system’s platforms can be used as prime sea real-estate to store energy, especially in the form of hydrogen. Then unloaded, when necessary, by vessels and delivered anywhere. Thus, having no need to lay complex and costly undersea cables.
The WLM technology is not yet commercial. However, it is in the last stages of pre-commercial development and with the correct support can achieve all its promises in the very near future.
Power availability in the wave can vary massively from climate to climate. From some few kilowatts to hundreds of megawatts per system using the WLM. Therefore, not one design can harness all climates. Due to the simplicity of scaling the technology, it can be designed and suited to ANY wave climate. From the calmest of seas to the most energetic environments our oceans can provide.
Simply put, there is such a vast area of ocean just covering a fraction of it can supply a major proportion of global demand.
The four basic components of the technology are modular and can be manufactured using production lines that are vastly automated. Also considering that essentially any material can be used of which can be recycled and survive for a long time. The WLM can also control the forces it encounters meaning it can be designed as light-weight or heavy as deemed necessary for a given application. Climates across the globe can vary massively and this directly impacts the costs associated with the power production. The power in the wave scales exponentially with size, which in turn means that the produced energy cost reduces with the same behaviour, as larger waves are harnessed. There is not one answer to this question and to establish a value, wave climate data is required for a given application of the Waveline Magnet.
The current system scales and mechanical power projections based on our breakthrough theory are as below. Keeping in mind the example scales would continue operation beyond the defined wave profiles in the table.
Pilot (Small Scale) System (6×90 meters)
Wave Height Hs (m) | Wave Period Te (s) | NDT Output (kW) |
0.6 | 3 | 15.26 |
1.2 | 4.5 | 84.76 |
1.5 | 4.5 | 172.17 |
Example Group 1 Device (12×180 meters)
Wave Height Hs (m) | Wave Period Te (s) | NDT Output (kW) |
1.2 | 6.2 | 196.86 |
2.4 | 6.2 | 1,417.38 |
3.0 | 6.2 | 1,722.51 |
Example Group 2 Device (24×600 meters)
Wave Height Hs (m) | Wave Period Te (s) | NDT Output (kW) |
2.4 | 8.0 | 4,882 |
4.8 | 9.0 | 20,251 |
6.0 | 10.0 | 32,547 |
8.0 | 11.5 | 78,616 |
10.0 | 12 | 113,011 |
15.0 | 12 | 405,251 |
Carrying out some basic research about the “disadvantages of wave power” returns one of the main common misconceptions about wave energy even in scientific papers – that it is “low frequency” at larger wavelengths (scales). SWEL disagrees and the WLM technology suggests otherwise, when using the right tool.
SWEL is in the process of reviewing and establishing strategic collaborations to facilitate the final pre-commercial development phase. Once established within 6-12 months the first phase will be completed and SWEL will move into the first small scale implementation of the WLM that will become commercially available.
Next Steps
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