The PB150 PowerBuoy offers many features for wave energy projects.  It will generate power with wave heights between 1.5 and 7 meters (4.9 to 22.9 feet).  OPT’s mooring approach and PowerBuoy structure permit deployment of the PowerBuoy system across a wide combination of storm wave, tidal, and current conditions, making it suitable for a wide range of wave climates.  The PB150 is typically configured in two to three row arrays, minimizing the footprint of the project.

The PB150 PowerBuoy offers a sustained maximum peak-rated output of 150 kW and a power factor of -0.9 to +0.9.  Typical capacity factors for the PB150 range between 30% to 50%, depending on location.  The PowerBuoy provides grid quality electricity and is independently certified to meet all required grid interconnection standards.  The PowerBuoy has a fiber optic communications and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems.

In January 2011, OPT achieved the world’s first Lloyd’s Register certification for the PB150 utility scale wave power device. This provides independent, third-party assurance on the design of the PB150 PowerBuoy for its intended use, as analyzed against international standards.

OPT has also developed an Underwater Substation Pod (USP) for which a patent is pending, which can aggregate the electrical output from up to ten (10) PB150 PowerBuoys into a single transmission cable to shore.  This approach minimizes costs of submarine transmission cable to the shore based interconnection.  The USP provides control and SCADA capability for all connected PowerBuoys.