Remember the Pelamis wave farm project? A number of commenters were skeptical about it's functioning ability, and will probably not be surprised by the recent news - the project has been shut down, with no date set for its return.
The buoyancy problem was the beginning. Foam-filled buoyancy tanks leaked and need to be replaced, delaying the startup of the project.
The Aguçadoura wave farm was announced in September as a joint venture between Pelamis and a group of three promoters including EDP, the Portuguese electrical engineering company Efacec, and the asset manager Babcock & Brown, an Australia-based specialist in power and other infrastructure investments.
But, by November, as the global credit crunch and falling share markets took a deepening toll of highly leveraged investors, Babcock & Brown announced a major program of asset sales to pay down its debt: and the Portuguese partners pulled back from the venture.
A spokesman for Pelamis Wave Power has said there is no timetable for returning the project to sea. "As soon as things are resolved," he said. "Could be next week. Could be anything."
EDP is not discouraged from investing in renewable energy - they have recently signed an agreement with Principle Power, of the United States, to develop and install a floating offshore wind farm off the Portuguese coast. "Offshore wind is one of our key innovation priorities," said the chief executive of EDP, António Mexia.
Via International Herald Tribune
March 18th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
[...] Update Pelamis Wave Farm Shut Down, Temporarily? [...]
March 19th, 2009 at 1:13 am
It is so sad that, this project is shut down temporarily but hope it will start again and run sucessfully.
March 19th, 2009 at 6:51 am
The things will become better soon. The foam filled buoyancy leaked tanks will be replaced but it delayed the overall project.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Although it has some obstacle right now, but I'm sure it will start to operate again very soon...
March 20th, 2009 at 11:02 am
I didn't even know about the wave farm. It's a great idea...and as others have said..I hope it returns soon.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
I think it's very unfortunate that this project shut down. I hope they get it back up and running soon. I believe that it will help the environment in a huge way.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:33 am
Oh!
It is so sad.
I hope its start again.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
From what I've read, they aren't sure if they will get it back up and running... maybe there's hope for it some day.
July 25th, 2009 at 2:17 am
That is so sad that we can not seem to get a large number of people behind one alternative energy source...
July 28th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Every great new technology inevitably goes through bumps in the road on the way to revolutionary change. I haven't heard as much on wave-energy as I have recently on wind and solar energy systems, but the more sustainable energy research we have, the better. In ten years, there's no way that we will be relying on only one of these new energy sources; that would be repeating the mistake made with coal. It's clear we need all the information on as many technologies in the green sector as possible.