Pembroke Dock-based workboat and marine energy device builder Mainstay Marine Solutions has won the second phase contract for the ‘design, engineering and maintenance support’ for an innovative wave energy converter development project on behalf of client Wave-tricity.
The first stage build was completed by Mainstay in February of this year.
Following successful initial trialing the device can now be advanced to stage two of the build before it is will be redeployed to the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone, a wave energy site off the Pembrokeshire coastline. The contract with Wave-tricity will run until December 2018.
Wave-tricity was recently granted a £4m investment from the European Regional Development Fund via the Welsh Government. The new and innovative device called the ‘Ocean Wave Rower’ will convert the natural motion of the waves into clean energy.
‘’Mainstay Marine have been a very important partner in helping us to reach our first milestone and getting our platform to sea as planned to start testing” said Paul Burton, Technical Director of Wave-tricity. “They have proved their depth and breadth of expertise, and we are looking forward to Phase Two of our development with their team on board which , when completed, will bring us a step closer to providing the globe with the first commercial wave energy device”.
Mainstay’s Managing Director, Stewart Graves, said ‘‘We are delighted to have won the second contract with Wave-tricity. Our range of in-house skills, varied and extensive experience and optimum location makes us the partner of choice for marine energy device development projects. Winning work on innovative projects like this reinforces our reputation in the marine renewable energy sector’’.
The contract win continues a successful period for Mainstay, which now employs 80, with 10 per cent of the direct workforce consisting of apprentices.
For further information go to www.mainstaymarine.co.uk / www.wave-tricity.com.