It has been a long road to reach this point – to see the AquaBuOY in fabrication, and in a few short months, to see its maiden splash in the Pacific Ocean. The first impression of anyone walking into the Oregon Iron Works fabrication shop of the AquaBuOY is its size. 1/3 of the device submerged section is almost 20 feet in length – see pictures. Well, we are dealing with the ocean that exhibits large forces, making a device of almost 80 feet in length seem not very big in proportion.
The work is moving forward at a quick pace. It is great to see the joint team of Finavera, SAIC and OIW to be relentless in its pursuit of the goal – ocean installation this year. We are wrapping up the permitting that is required for the deployment of the device, and in a few short months we should see the AquaBuOY 2.0 in the water. The data recovered from it will provide us with the performance information that will be used for the follow-on device optimization work.
It’s a challenge, but one I’m looking forward to because this is more than just a job for me. It’s a dream I’ve had for many years, and to see construction underway makes me feel proud.
Posted by
Alla Weinstein
General Manager, Ocean Energy
June 21, 2007 - 7:04pm
