Finavera Renewables has completed deployment and commissioning of the Aquabuoy 2.0 wave energy converter off the coast of Newport, Oregon, in the USA.

Located approximately 4km off the coast, Finavera will test and analyse the performance of the AquaBuoy’s components and monitor its output over the coming weeks. During this phase, all onboard diagnostic equipment will be powered by an onboard Pelton turbine as well as solar panels and small wind turbines installed on the device. Data is being streamed live via wireless and satellite technology for analysis. This test data will be used for the next design iteration of the wave energy converter, with an anticipated deployment in 2008 and commercial generation planned for 2010, at the start of the phased installation of a multi-device wave park.

The company currently has wave projects totalling more than 250 MW planned or under development on the west coast of North America.

Construction of the device began in early May 2007 at Oregon Iron Works in Portland.