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Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (OPT) has completed more than four months of offshore testing for its Next Generation PowerBuoy® (‘PB’), taking place in the Atlantic Ocean near New Jersey.
For the testing, the solar and wind power-equipped Next Generation PB was outfitted with OPT’s proprietary AI-capable Merrows™ suite of solutions.
The system maintained 100% data uptime and the state of charge of the batteries remained over 90% throughout the deployment.
OPT’s PowerBuoy functions as an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) by continuously recharging itself through wave energy. Deployed in the ocean, it remains moored and floats over the usage point, operating at depths ranging from 20 meters to 3,000 meters.
During the testing, several Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) demonstrations were completed for potential users.
Having operated offshore during Hurricane Ernesto and Tropical Storm Debby, the system is now back at the OPT facility for integration of the subsea connectors and AT&T’s 5G system.
These upgrades are part of the previously announced deployment for the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey. Once all permits are received and factory acceptance testing is complete, the system will be moved to California for installation.
Philipp Stratmann, CEO and President of OPT, commented, “We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of offshore testing for our solar and wind power capable Next Generation PowerBuoy®, which forms the backbone of our AI-capable Merrows ocean intelligence platform.
“Achieving 100% data uptime during testing is a testament to the robustness and reliability of our technology, designed to operate in the most challenging marine environments. We are excited to take the next step and deliver this groundbreaking system to NPS , marking a significant milestone in advancing sustainable ocean monitoring solutions.”
