One of the advantages of this device over other marine systems is that it responds to waves from any direction without requiring adjustment. The floats maintain vertical oscillation without creating friction by making contact with each other. The vertical motion of waves at sea is relatively constant, so the Bobber can provide an almost constant power output. It also offers high survivability in storm conditions.

The device is being developed by the University of Manchester and The University of Manchester Intellectual Property Ltd (UMIP) in collaboration with their industrial partners, including Royal Haskoning and Renold plc.

Considerable testing has already been completed, funded in part by the Carbon Trust. In 2004 a 1/100th scale model of a single float was built and tested in The University of Manchester's wave flume test facility. In September 2005 a 1/10th scale single device was tested at the New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) in Blyth.

The results were very positive, providing valuable information about the hydrodynamic aspects of the device.

The 1/10th scale results of Phase 2 were analysed during Q3 of 2005 thru Q1 of 2006.

The results have proved very encouraging in terms of power output and scalability of the device. The computational models developed at 1/100th scale have also been refined, which has enabled full scale power output predictions to be calculated using real sea wave data.

In parallel, conceptual full scale commercial designs and costings (fixed bed and floating) were completed in Q1 of 2006. Cost analysis included manufacture, deployment, maintenance and decommissioning of the full scale commercial structures (25 units). A combination of the predicted powers at full scale and the cost of the full scale commercial device have enabled the Manchester Bobber team to be confident that the cost to produce electricity is commercially viable.

The Manchester Bobber team have now moved into the next phase (Phase 3) of work. Two parallel avenues are currently being carried out. Firstly the team have been awarded funds to carry out 12 months of work to optimise the array geometry and float design at 1/100th scale in the University of Manchester wave/current flume. Secondly the project partners (7 to date) are designing and costing out a full scale single unit which would be tested for 12 months offshore.

It is hoped fund raising and design work will be complete during 2006/2007 with a view to commencing fabrication and deployment in 2008.

Frank Allison of UMIP is pleased with the progress of the project so far, and prospects for the future. He said, 'The involvement of our industrial partners has enabled us to move much more quickly than would otherwise have been the case.

For example, Royal Haskoning's expertise in the performance of structures at sea has been an invaluable asset in the design process. Now we are confident that we can develop the device further to make it a commercial reality.'

For further information visit www. manchesterbobber. com