Teamwork Techniek a Netherlands based organisation have an exciting new product for harnessing the power of the waves, they claim that their product, the Archemedes Wave Swing (AWS), is competitive with other energy generation technologies. The concept is a simple system of connected air chambers utilising a flywheel effect, using the heave of the sea to produce electrical energy. Sea heave is caused by the action of the wind on the water surface, in turn wind energy is caused by solar energy but with waves during the process of conversion the energy is concentrared more and more, from 100w/m2 upto a level of 100kw per wave front. Also wave energy is reliably present even during calm periods, unlike wind energy proper, so wave energy can also be considered as stored wind energy. Where a wind turbine produces on average 20% of it's rated capacity, the AWS produces 50%. The AWS is completely under the water surface and doesn't use the surface wave for energy generation. The effect of this is that the design is simplified and doesn't need to cope with the extremes brought about by surface storms, a great advantage when compared with surface wave type generators, resulting in less extreme stresses, and a gentler operating environment. Their three chamber design produces 8mw. Teamwork expect a cost of 9 to 15 cents per kwh for the AWS and a global coastal potential of 20,000 kilometres (70,000 households at Dutch consumption levels), where six systems can be installed per kilometre . Within this total global coastal length, an existing electricity grid infrastructure is present near about 10% of the coast, they have then worked out an economical market potential of 1000 kilometres, dependant on available infrastructure, extent of market and selling price per kwh. The product will be marketed and installation begun by the year 2000. It is planned that the pilot project will be built in Portugal using EEC funding from the Thermie project and that subsequent development and builds are not planned to be subsidised in this way, however the experience gained will reduce the cost of subsequent implementation. Teamwork will be the knowledge base and not the actual manufacturers or installers of the hardware, building is an offshore project of large mass and dimensions. For once with this type of project, there is confidence in the potential for success.

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