Preliminary results of the experimental assessment of the SWINGO wave energy system

Achieving large-scale commercial exploitation of ocean wave energy necessitates the design and testing of various wave energy concepts, in an effort to identify viable solutions capable of reducing the associated levelised cost of energy to competitive levels. Within this framework, conducting experimental tests plays a crucial role in evaluating emerging concept designs, providing valuable insights into the strengths and challenges inherent to a specific technology. Among the concepts introduced in recent years is the SWINGO device, distinguished by its gyropendulum inner mechanism, which facilitates energy absorption from waves approaching from various directions. In this paper, to evaluate the actual capabilities of this device, the SWINGO wave energy conversion system was subjected to comprehensive testing during an experimental campaign at Oregon State University’s wave tank facility. The campaign was directed at advancing research on this innovative omnidirectional wave energy system by rigorously examining its response to a range of wave conditions. This investigation was pivotal for understanding the system’s capacity to optimise energy capture via its gyropendulum conversion mechanism. This paper delineates the experimental setup, and the preliminary outcomes of these explorations, with a special focus on the device response under controlled and uncontrolled conditions.