All-electric wave energy converter connected in array with common DC-link for improved power quality

Wave Energy Converters (WECs) with direct electric Power Take Off systems have large fluctuations in output power, and have a peak to average power ratio far above most other energy producers. Moreover, the typical average power production from a WEC is lower than that of other power plants, typically less than 1 MW. Array connection of several WECs can mitigate these shortcomings by increasing both the power output and quality. The focus of this paper is to analyze Fred. Olsen designed WEC system Bolt 2 Wavehub and the effect of expanding to a small array. The required specifications for the array geometry, the electrical configuration and the overall system are discussed and a specific array design consisting of 7 WECs is suggested as a solution and analyzed in detail. The results show that the peak to average power ratio can be reduced by a factor of 4 if the array covers a full wave length.