Numerical Analysis of a Large Floating Wave Energy Converter with Adjustable Structural Geometry

The current cost of energy (CoE) from wave energy converters (WECs) is still significantly higher than other renewable energy resources, thus the sector has not yet reached a competitive level. WECs have a relative small turnover compared to the high capital cost, which to a large extent is driven by the structural loads in extreme conditions. The Weptos is a large floating WEC, with multiple absorbers, which has proven to be a serious candidate for the renewable energy market, due to both relevant power performance and reduced cost if compared with other WECs. The scope of this article is to compare two different configurations of the Weptos machine, using the cost of energy (CoE) as a base of comparison. The numerical results are obtained via a multi-body analysis carried out in frequency domain.