Programme details

The destructive power of waves can be harnessed and used as a source of clean renewable energy.

The Wave Dragon

In Nissum Bredning, Denmark, a European team succesfully launcehd a wave energy prototype, the Wave Dragon, invented by Erik Friis Madsen.

The Principle

The Wave Dragon is based on a very simple principle: when the waves hit the wave reflectors, they climb the ramp and fall into the tank where the water is stored.
The water stored in the tank then flows through the turbines, generating electricity from the water pressure.

Development

The project is the result of cooperation between six different European partners: Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Austria and Germany.
The main elements of the turbines we have seen were developed and tested at the Munich Technical University .

Application

The Wave Dragon prototype operates using 7 turbines, which are now working very well and which can generate up to 20 kWe. At full scale, the Wave Dragon would generate 4 MWe in the North Sea.

Future

The team now needs to complete the test programme. The next step will then be the construction and testing of a full-scale prototype.
We are counting on putting several units next to each other in order to
generate 80 to 100 MW.