| Azura | |
|---|---|
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Sunburst_edited.jpg) Azura prototype testing | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Marine Corps Base Hawaii |
| Coordinates | 21°27′54″N 157°45′05″W / 21.46488°N 157.751524°W |
| Status | Decommissioned |
| Construction began | 2006 |
| Commission date | 2012 |
| Operator(s) | NWEI |
| Wave power station | |
| Type | Point absorber |
| Water body | Kāneʻohe Bay |
| Water depth | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 1 × 20 KW |
| Make and model | TRL 5/6 |
| Nameplate capacity | 20 KW |
| External links | |
| Website | azurawave |
Azura is a wave power device developed by Azura Wave Power in New Plymouth. A version was tested in Hawaii from 2015 for several years, with the aim of scaling up to create utility scale power for the grid. This was found to be too expensive, so Azura are now working on a smaller-scale device to produce both electricity and potable water.[1] Two devices have been tested, which can generate 20 kilowatts of power.[2]
The test in Hawaii was connected to the municipal grid providing electricity to Hawaii for 18-months.[1][2][3] According to the United States Department of Energy, this is the first time that a wave power generator has been officially verified to be supplying energy to a power grid in North America. It was verified by the University of Hawaii.[4][5] The tests were at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) on the north shore of Kaneohe Bay, Oahu. It was situated on the surface of a 30-meter-deep berth where it was monitored.[5]
This prototype (TRL 5/6) was developed by Northwest Energy Innovations (NWEI) with the support of the U.S. Navy, the United States Department of Energy,[6] and the University of Hawaii.[7] During the operational testing, the University of Hawaii would be responsible for the collection and analysis of data.[8]
Azura was originally named "WET-NZ" from "Wave Energy Technology-New Zealand".
- ^ a b "Azura to develop technology to extract energy from wave power". NZ Entrepreneur Magazine. November 13, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "Innovative Wave Power Device Starts Producing Clean Power in Hawaii". Energy.gov. Archived from the original on May 31, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ "NWEI Deploys Azura Wave Energy Device in Hawai'i". Subsea World News. June 12, 2015. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- ^ "Azura connects in Hawaii". reNEWS - Renewable Energy News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- ^ a b Steve Dent. "Wave generator supplies US electrical grid for the first time". Engadget. AOL. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
- ^ "Capturing the Motion of the Ocean: Wave Energy Explained". Energy.gov. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- ^ "New Wave Energy Device Installed at Hawaii Wave Energy Tests Site - Applied Research Laboratory at the University of Hawaiʻi". Applied Research Laboratory at the University of Hawaiʻi. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- ^ "Azura wave energy system deployed in Hawaii". gizmag.com. July 9, 2015. Archived from the original on July 20, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.