This is the LCOE analysis spreadsheet and content model for the heaving point absorber buoy developed for controls purposes. The cost assessment was done on a wave-farm of 100-units.

Modeling and performance data in Matlab data file (.mat) containing 3 structures (WEC model, simRes_sr and simRes_fix), and a pdf document describing the model, the simulations, and the analysis that has been carried out.

DOE System and LCOE (levelized costs of energy) Content Models completed for a utility-scale Stingray WEC.

DOE System and LCOE (levelized costs of energy) Content Models completed for a utility-scale Stingray WEC.

Capex numbers are in $/kW, Opex numbers in $/kW-yr. Cost Estimates provided herein are based on concept design and basic engineering data and have high levels of uncertainties embedded. This reference economic scenario was done for a very large device version of the Ocean Energy (OE) Buoy technology, which is not presently on OE's technology development pathway but will be considered in future business plan development. The DOE reference site condition is considered a low power-density site, compared with many of the planned initial deployment locations for the OE Buoy. Many of the sites considered for the initial commercial deployment of the OE buoy feature much higher wave power densities and shorter period waves. Both of these characteristics will improve the OE buoy's commercial viability.

Contains the Reference Model 3 (RM3) spreadsheets with the cost breakdown structure (CBS) for the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) calculations for a single RM3 device and multiple unit arrays. These spreadsheets are contained within an XLSX file and a spreadsheet editor such as Microsoft Excel is needed to open the file. This data was generated upon completion of the project on September 30, 2014. The Reference Model Project (RMP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), was a partnered effort to develop open-source MHK point designs as reference models (RMs) to benchmark MHK technology performance and costs, and an open-source methodology for design and analysis of MHK technologies, including models for estimating their capital costs, operational costs, and levelized costs of energy. The point designs also served as open-source test articles for university researchers and commercial technology developers. The RMP project team, led by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), included a partnership between DOE, three national laboratories, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Applied Research Laboratory of Penn State University, and Re Vision Consulting. Reference Model 3 (RM3) is a wave point absorber, also referred to as a wave power buoy, that was designed for a reference site located off the shore of Eureka in Humboldt County, California. The design of the device consists of a surface float that translates (oscillates) with wave motion relative to a vertical column spar buoy, which connects to a subsurface reaction plate. This two-body point absorber converts wave energy into electrical power predominately from the devices heave oscillation induced by incident waves; the float is designed to oscillate up and down the vertical shaft up to 4 m. The bottom of the reaction plate is about 35 m below the water surface. The device is targeted for deployment in water depths of 40 m to 100 m. The point absorber is also connected to a mooring system to keep the floating device in position.

Project baseline levelized cost of energy (LCOE) model for the Centipod WEC containing annual energy production (AEP) data, a cost breakdown structure (CBS), model documentation, and the LCOE content model. This baseline was built for comparison with the resultant LCOE model, built after implementation of the model predictive control (MPC) controller.

The over-arching project objective is to fully develop and validate optimal controls frameworks that can subsequently be applied widely to different WEC devices and concepts. Optimal controls of WEC devices represent a fundamental building block for WEC designers that must be considered as an integral part of every stage of device development. Using a building-blocks approach to optimal controls development, this effort will result in the full development of a feed-forward and feed-back control approach and a wave prediction system. Phase I focused primarily on numerical offline optimization and validation using wave tank testing of three industry partners? WEC devices, including CalWave, Ocean Energy, and Resolute Marine Energy. These industry partnerships allowed us to identify optimal control strategies for these different WEC topologies at different maturity levels. Phase II focused on demonstrating an integrated control system on a custom-built prototype for at-sea testing. A secondary focus during phase II is to adapt our systems identification, controls and wave-prediction frameworks to become more robust and comprehensive in respect to capability, robustness, and reliability. RE Vision Consulting leads this project and has compiled the final public domain report included in this submission.

This submission contains several papers, a final report, descriptions of a theoretical framework for two types of control systems, and descriptions of eight real-time flap load control policies with the objective of assessing the potential improvement of annual average capture efficiency at a reference site on an MHK device developed by Resolute Marine Energy, Inc. (RME). The submission also contains an LCOE model that estimates the performance and related energy cost improvements that each advanced control system might provide and recommendations for improving DOE's LCOE model. The two types of control systems are for wave energy converters which transform data into commands that, in the case of RME's OWSC wave energy converter, provide real-time adjustments to damping forces applied to the prime mover via the power take-off system (PTO). The control theories developed were: 1) Model Predictive Control (MPC) or so-called "non-causal" control whereby sensors deployed seaward of a wave energy converter measure incoming wave characteristics and transmit that information to a data processor which issues commands to the PTO to adjust the damping force to an optimal value; and 2) "Causal" control which utilizes local sensors on the wave energy converter itself to transmit information to a data processor which then issues appropriate commands to the PTO. The two advanced control policies developed by Scruggs and Re Vision were then compared to a simple control policy, Coulomb damping, which was utilized by RME during the two rounds of ocean trials it had conducted prior to the commencement of this project. The project work plan initially included a provision for RME to conduct hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing of the data processors and configurations of valves, sensors and rectifiers needed to implement the two advanced control systems developed by Scruggs and Re Vision Consulting but the funding for that aspect of the project was cut at the conclusion of Budget Period 1. Accordingly, more work needs to be done to determine: a) means and feasibility of implementing real-time control; and b) added costs associated with such implementation taking into account estimated effects on system availability in addition to component costs.

This submission includes all the data to support an LCOE baseline assessment for the Resolute Marine Energy (RME) Surge WEC device.