On Dec. 28th, 2012, a new-type floating wave energy power generation equipment named “ Sharp Eagle No.1 ” developed by Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was launched in the appointed sea area in Wanshan Island, Zhuhai City. The equipment owns two different sets of energy conversion systems. The total installed capacity is 20kw, with the hydraumatic power generation system and the direct drive motor system accounting for half respectively.

During the one and a half year research, the research team exerted unceasing efforts in upgrading the equipment model and developed 5 sets of models, which were experimented on for many times in two-dimensional and three-dimensional water tanks. Finally, it was decided that the equipment that would be put on sea would combine the light wave energy absorber and sub-merged ship.

The light wave energy absorber was specially designed, with its motion track mostly matching that of wave, thus absorbing the incident wave to the maximum while reducing the reflected wave to the minimum. The wave energy absorber and other relative converting devices were installed on the multi-functional sub-merged ship, which served as the drag vector and repair platform when launching、recalling、and repairing the equipment; and as the underwater appendage for stabilizing the equipment when in operation. By designing this kind of equipment, we can substantially lower the costs of building、launching and repairing the equipment, utilize wave energy safer and more efficiently, and rapidly establishing on-sea floating breakwater.

Sharp Eagle's successful dragging, launching, and power generation yields the goal of developing wave energy equipment in a fast, safe and low-cost way, thus laying a solid foundation for utilizing wave energy in large scale in future.