Eni to redeploy wave power system in the Adriatic Sea
March 3, 2020
Eni has extended its lease of Ocean Power Technologies Inc.’s PB3 PowerBuoy for an additional 18 months.
(Courtesy Ocean Power Technologies Inc.)
The PB3 PowerBuoy integrates patented technologies in hydrodynamics, electronics, energy conversion, and computer control systems to extract the natural energy in ocean waves.
Following more than one year of continuous maintenance-free operation as part of an AUV charging pilot project offshore Italy in the Adriatic Sea, the leased PB3 PowerBuoy will be redeployed to provide power to systems on an unmanned, decommissioned gas production platform.
The offshore platform conversion project is exploring the potential of future ecologically sustainable life-extension strategies for oil and gas platforms at the end of their productive phase. The project will assess the value of the platform to the ecosystem if left in place, as well as the viability of integrated aquaculture farming, recreational, and other uses.
The system will be relocated off Italy’s Abruzzo region coastline in July 2020.
Deployed in December 2018, the PB3 PowerBuoy has demonstrated its capability as a charging and communications platform to enable the long-term remote operation of Eni’s Clean Sea AUV, the company said. Since being deployed it has produced more than two megawatt hours (2 MWh) of electricity.
