Generator for wave power plants
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Seabased Industry AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 2 992 000 |
| Project duration | April 2013 - September 2014 |
| Status | Completed |
Important results from the project
The purpose of the project was to design a new linear generator for wave power plants based on pole shoes and ferrite magnets instead of surface mounted Neodymium magnets. The reason is the strongly varying price on the world market for Neodymium magnets, partly because they are made up of rare earth metals. The project has led to the design of a generator that is now being used in Seabased´s wave power plants. The new generator has been installed in 12 wave power plants installed in the ocean. In total over 20 generators have been produced.
Expected long term effects
The principal purpose for the design of the new generator is that the cost for producing it is significantly lower compared to the previous Neodymium-based generator. The highly volatile world market price for the rare earth materials of the Neodymium magnets compared to the more stable prices for the ferrite magnets is also expected to lower the financial risk for the company.
Approach and implementation
The design of the new generator is significantly different in comparison with the previous generator, and several engineering challenges were foreseen at the start of this project. A main part of the project has therefore been a iterative process between the departments of design and production - with the goal of step by step producing a generator design that is easy to produce while upholding high quality requirements. This process has successfully led to a product that is now used in Seabased´s wave power plants.