Wave Rider – a low-maintanence off-shore wind resource assessment buoy

This buoy system has the capability of conducting long-term offshore wind resource assessment campaigns with limited maintenance.

The Wave Rider buoy features an autonomous power system, including solar and wind power generation, that allows it to operate under variable site conditions. It is suitable for year round deployments with maintenance intervals of 6mos to 1yr. The complete monitoring system includes a wave-following buoy hull with an integrated mooring bridle stand, a central cylindrical hatch with extension for battery bank storage. The tower assembly houses the power generation equipment, met-ocean sensors, and LiDAR remote wind sensor with a passive motion compensation system. The motion compensation device is designed with customizable damping that can be adjustable for a variety of sea states.

A fully operational Wave Rider is in the last stages of construction, with expectations to be in the water by late 2015.

US Provisional Patent 61/864,932