Mermaid Power Wave Energy makes Electric Power Plants for Near Shore locations Prototype Video wave technology systems 100s of Patents

BRIEF OVERVIEW

 

Mermaid Power Corp. has developed proprietary clean energy technology for producing electric power from small, near shore, water waves.

 

Our business is to provide 25 to 100 kW power plants locally in British Columbia, Canada, and, to license our IP so others may provide our proven and practical power plants in their local waters throughout the world.

 

Product / IP  The Mermaid Wave Energy Converter "WEC" is a proprietary point absorber-heave plate system (producing a power stroke on both up & down oscillations) connected to a one way clutch-type wave energy reciprocating to uni-directional rotation converter. A proprietary axial flux, permanent magnet, 80 pole, 3 phase AC alternator produces high voltage (400+ VAC) electricity from variable speed RPM (from random & variable sized water waves) for transference via a small diameter underwater cable to shore where it is rectified and inverted for certified grid compliance.

This WEC is disclosed in CIPO patents: 2,808,614 & 2,838,176, & 2,839,172.

A PCT Application (No. PCT/CA2014/050206) has been filed for this IP.

 

Target Sector  Cleantech, renewable energy, ocean wave power for the individual energy production niche (not large scale region-wide energy production).The Mermaid Power product is for personal use, small business use (e.g. fishing camps, etc.) & sale of power. It works in small waves (20 cm to 2 m), a single unit is rated at 25 kW, four units in an array would produce 100 kW; 25 kW is equal to 208 amps at 120 volts – enough electricity for a large house.

 

Uses  The units are made specifically for sale of power through net metering and to produce power for off grid applications as a replacement / alternative to gas or diesel generators. They are suitable for highly populated, protected water ways such as: Georgia Strait, Puget Sound, San Francisco Bay, the Great Lakes, the Eastern Seaboard, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, Sea of Japan, etc., etc. The units may be used anywhere except where big (destructive) waves in the open oceans exist.

 

IP License  We license our IP, knowhow and trade secrets including architectural plans for a local manufacturing-maintenance facility & support.This enables the licensee to take advantage of financial incentives and subsidies for cleantech renewable energy power production in their local area; to sell and support the units in their local language, to follow local regulations; and, to provide cleantech green employment for local citizens.

 

 

Other Items

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Tidal Compensator. The point absorber-converter-alternator module is mounted on a tidal compensator that slides up and down a pile. This ensures that the point absorber is maintained in the surface waves during changes in water height due to tides. Tidal height change in Georgia Strait is approximately 5 m. Both natural powered, and, external powered, tidal compensation methods, are disclosed in two PCT patents.

 

Emperical Vertical Force Wave Data:  A vertically un-constrained point-absorber-heave-plate-float weighted for gravity assist provides a power stroke on both up and down movements. Historical Government wave statistics provide hourly wave height & wave period data. Calculating the amount of energy available to a given point absorber prime mover (in terms of size, weight and buoyancy) from historical wave data has proven to be difficult due to lack of empirical data of wave energy forces on point absorbers for verification of calculations.  Accordingly tow tank test data for various sized and weighted point absorbers acting in various sized waves & periods has been made and will be made available at the ICOE 2014 Conference.  This enables the industry to more easily calculate expected electrical WEC output (for a specifically defined point absorber and given machine losses & electrical generation efficiency) directly from Government wave data.

 

Foreshore Lease Acquisition. The seabed is administered by the provincial government through a perpetual foreshore lease granted to the owner of the adjacent shore land. A lengthy application process is required which includes: site plan, environmental issues, assessment by departments of Transportation and Fisheries, public notices, (native) Indian Nation notification, opportunity for objection by stake holders & opportunity for applicant to respond. A granted Foreshore Lease bears tax implications. A foreshore lease off Keats Island has been granted for the Mermaid Power Plant.

 

Net Metering. Briefly, the BC Hydro net metering program is a BC Utilities sanctioned open purchase order for the purchase of electricity according to certain terms and conditions. There is no application or assessment fee, maximum 100 kWh per meter. Mermaid Power has an accepted application for the 5 kW unit to be deployed on the foreshore lease off Keats Island

 

Public Uptake. Local community acceptance of a WEC is an important factor. In this case the WEC was deployed 150 m from a popular beach. Presentation will include: the questionnaire, used as a starting point for discussions with local residents; design considerations for the  ‘view from shore’; and, live video feeds, made public at www.mermaidpower.com , showing the following 4 WEC aspects: outside underwater view (sealife interaction), inside  view (equipment operation), outside from a distance view (wave heights and unit security) and the grid meter view (power produced).