About Our Team

Mission Statement

Over the course of our four-years, our group’s goal is to meaningfully contribute to the field of wave energy conversion by improving turbine type PTO reliant WEC survivability, and consequently wave energy levelized cost of electricity.

Project Scope

This project focuses on the power-take-off (PTO) of wave energy converters (WECs). Specifically, our team will focus on the turbine style of PTO, such as those used in oscillating water column type WECs. Within this specific field of PTO, we aim to improve the cost-effectiveness. Existing methods are not cost competitive with other renewable energy types, as they incur significant maintenance costs. We will investigate how to reduce the required maintenance by improving the corrosion resistance, wave input resonance, and extreme condition survivability of the turbine type PTO. Improving this PTO will benefit multiple types of WECs in which it is implemented, including (but not limited to) oscillating water columns, pressure differential, and overtopping WECs.