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VICUSdt is working on a device that will generate energy with the Galician waves

The Galician company VICUS Desarrollos Tecnológicos S.L. is developing a research in feasibility of electrical generation in Galicia from the movement of waves in collaboration with the Universities of Santiago and A Coruña, and other Galician businesses like Norvento Enerxía. A scale factor device has been built and it was tested in a wave tank. Currently VICUSdt is building a new larger device, and both have the INCITE program support of the Xunta de Galicia.

The initiative is known as "Wavecat" and it consists installing a kind of floating platforms on the sea surface that use the power of the waves to convert into energy.

In the first phase, VICUSdt conducted the design of the structure. VICUSdt has worked on the simulation of the wave movility, through advanced computer tools, and thus conclude the most appropriate geometric shape for best performance of the surf.

ECO-EFFICIENCY

VICUSdt focus one of its lines of research in renewable energy, hence "The goal of the development of this mechanism is the generation of clean and efficient energy," said Adrian Sarasquete, manager of the company located in Vigo.
It is a system with a low environmental impact compared with others, and it seeks sustainability. In addition, it offers high reliability, since it has few moving parts.

The wave converter (official name) consists of two floating devices converging V-shaped, and its concentrates the water. The wave rises to overcome them and fill the reservoirs that have on each side. "Transformation of the potential energy of waves into electricity occurs when water fall down from deposits” said Sarasquete. "For this, we are working on a new design of specific turbine and generator that can work underwater," he added.

PROMISING FUTURE

Although this technology is still under testing and demonstration, the potential market appears to be quite broad, both within and outside Galicia. A study by the University of Comillas says that in the future, "could be installed in Galicia about 4,800 megawatts of such energy." In this case, wave energy exceeds to wind energy, which is about 3,500 MW in Galicia.

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