Vattenfall, a leading energy provider in many regions of Europe has announced plans to invest a total of SEK 13 million ($2 million USD) into a project at Uppsala University in Sweden to develop wave power technology. The project which is still in the evaluation and study phase will take place at an installation in Skagerrak on the west coast of Sweden.
Vattenfall is currently employing a diversified strategy in the arena of renewable energy research looking to back a portfolio made up of a variety of different sources of energy. This is not the first time that Vattenfall is cooperating with Uppsala University and it is now looking to expand further on its cooperation with the university to look into basic wave energy research and what potential it might have in Sweden.
The project in question in the Islandberg research area has been given the go ahead to undertake the construction of 10 generators in a buildup leading up to 2009. In total the investment for the project is SEK 50 million with Vattenfall already having invested 4 million and now another SEK 9 million being pledged. There are also other companies involved in the project such as the Swedish Energy Agency.
Karl Bergman, Head of Research and Development at Vattenfall was quoted as saying; “To meet the climate challenge, we must review all our options and especially renewable energy. Wave power is part of Vattenfall’s long-term development work and we hope to learn more about the technology by participating in this research project,”.
According to Mats Leijon Professor of Electricty at Uppsala University “Vattenfall is one of several organizations funding the project and their support is vital for driving Swedish wave power research forward. The research installation outside Lysekil is an exciting project with considerable future potential,”
For additional information:
http://www.vattenfall.com http://www.vattenfall.com/www/vf_com/vf_com/370103press/558539press/index.jsp?pmid=84681&WT.ac=content
