Supplementary Report On The Feasibility Study Of Submerged Cylinder Wave Energy Device

This report has been compiled as the result o f a four-month supplementary contract to our first broad look at submerged cylinder wave energy devices. In this further period we have discussed widely within the wave energy community the findings of our main Report dated October 1979. We have also considered topics that were either not within our earlier brief or were only peripheral to its principal purpose of identifying how the device could be engineered using proven technology, and the likely range of unit costs that this could involve. The present Report therefore covers a wide spectrum of topics. These are mostly pitched in the form of 'Appe ndix' notes to subjects studied and presented in our main Report. They serve to clarify points of detail, and have been pursued in sufficient depth to show whether they need be studied further in the next phase of this enquiry. We have also continued our studies of the main subjects underlying the behaviour and performance of the device, especially its dyna mic behaviour in response to wave motion and how energy is best transmitted to and through the seabed power takeoff units. This supplementary period has therefore allowed us to narrow our options, Although we believe it is still premature to expect the preferred system of mooring and power takeoff to be selected with certainty, our earlier recommendations are upheld by the further findings now presented. This system will therefore form the basis for the optimisation study of the device that now logically follows, but we will continue to seek improvements both to the overall arrangement of the device and to its component parts in the light of all further information that becomes available to us. We conclude that the submerged cylinder device is a technically sound and efficient way of capturing wave energy. On the basis of present knowledge we have reason to believe that, from the thorough optimisation study that constitutes the next phase of our work, the device may also turn out to be an economic proposition. In this case it should be advanced through a full engineering design phase to the prototype construction of perhaps five units at full scale in say 1984/5

Final Report On Submerged Cylinder Wave Energy Device

A first overall assessment of the submerged cylinder device has been prepared, from which at outline design for the principal components has been produced. A budget estimate for this design has been made, including allowances for annual operation and maintenance charges. The efficiency characteristics of the device have been determined from selected tank tests. With these efficiencies, the energy captured by each cylinder of an array has been estimated. Allowances have been made for the probable energy losses in each component through to the National network at Perth. On the basis of the preliminary specification for the device agreed in June 1979, at the end of Stage 1 of this Contract, the price of electricity delivered to the network is estimated to be 11. 4 p/kWh. This assumes a 5% discount rate and a 20 year operating life. A number of improvements to the reference design are already clear. Principally its tuned frequency should be increased so that the efficiency characteristics match the wave spectrum more closely. This single improvement in gross output appears sufficient to reduce the unit cost to about 8.5 p/kWh because of the significance of annual maintenance charges on the net annual revenue from sales of electricity. There is considerable scope to improve the design. Other power take off and energy transfer techniques deserve attention, and there is scope to rationalise the mooring and foundation arrangements. Because of the nature of its working environment, the same philosophy of using proven components or reasonable derivatives therefrom should be retained. The stable behaviour of the device in all sea conditions studied, and its high efficiency in the more persistent waves, confirm that this further step towards a comprehensive design of the basically simple, efficient and robust system is justified

UK Large-scale Wind Power Programme from 1970 to 1990: the Carmarthen Bay experiments and the Musgrove Vertical-Axis Turbines

This article describes the development of the Musgrove Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) concept, the UK ‘Carmarthen Bay’ wind turbine test programme, and UK government’s wind power programme to 1990. One of the most significant developments in the story of British wind power occurred during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, with the development of the Musgrove vertical axis wind turbine and its inclusion within the UK Government’s wind turbine test programme. Evolving from a supervisor’s idea for an undergraduate project at Reading University, the Musgrove VAWT was once seen as an able competitor to the horizontal axis wind systems that were also being encouraged at the time by both the UK government and the Central Electricity Generating Board, the then nationalised electricity utility for England and Wales. During the 1980s and 1990s the most developed Musgrove VAWT system, along with three other commercial turbine designs was tested at Carmarthen Bay, South Wales as part of a national wind power test programme. From these developmental tests, operational data was collected and lessons learnt, which were incorporated into subsequent wind power operations.http://dx.doi.org/10.1260/03095240677860621

Operation Modulus: Putting Christie into Practice in Gorbals

As part of its exploration of public service reform What Works Scotland carried out an evaluation of Operation Modulus, a highly successful, innovative, award winning violence and anti-social behaviour intervention targeted at a gang of young people in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, exploring why it was such a success. The aim of this case study was not to focus on how best to tackle issues related to young people and crime, but rather to show how the principles of public service reform as highlighted by the Christie Commission (2011) can best be operationalised. Operation Modulus is an exemplar of such reform, demonstrating what it means for public services in Scotland to put Christie into practice

Scottish ferry policy and the Commission decision

This article is an update of an earlier review of Scottish ferry policy in this Commentary last year 1 (hence “Fraser Commentary Feb 09”) in the light of the outcome of the European Commission investigation into alleged State aid for Scottish ferries. The European Commission announced their investigation2 into alleged State aid for Scottish ferry services in May 2008 (hence “EC May 08”) and their final Decision3 was published October 2009 (hence EC Oct 09). This update is intended to be read in conjunction with Fraser Commentary Feb 09 to minimise repetition of facts and arguments set out in that earlier article