Innovation acceleration for Symphony Wave Power
An Innovation Tribe held by Techport on Symphony Wave Power has created a fruitful collaboration between Teamwork Technology and Harsveld Apparatenbouw. "We started the project 25 years ago and you can see that, partly through collaborations with Techport and companies like Harsveld, the project is now gaining momentum," said Fred Garder, Teamwork Technology director.
Teamwork Technology is big on wave and tidal energy. The system was developed in the 1990s and successfully tested off the coast of Portugal in 2004. In 2015, Teamwork Technology was able to turn newly developed ideas into designs. From this, Symphony Wave Power was born. Symphony Wave Power is a point absorbing wave energy system that below the water surface converts wave motion into an internal water flow. This flow drives a newly developed turbine to produce electricity.
Fred: "Teamwork Technology works out ideas of new products and brings them to the attention of companies so that a company can bring the product to market. This is also the case with Symphony Wave Power. We got in touch with Techport at the beginning of the year. Through Techport's first online Innovation Tribe in the spring, we were able to pitch our idea to Techport partners where our goal was to find partners from the region who would be interested in taking the product further. This is how we came into contact with Harsveld Apparatenbouw, among others."
Rob de Visser, director of Harsveld Apparatenbouw, says: "We were immediately interested after the Tribe. Together we went deeper into the matter and made a budget. On that basis we applied for a subsidy, it was approved and now we are ready to actually start making parts. We are starting with a test solid, a test installation and we are making space available. We can do the making within our regular work. For us, this is a great development to be involved in. I think it would be great if soon it is actually in the North Sea Canal and we can test here. And we may also be able to provide support at a later stage."
Fred adds: "It is an ambitious project and for this we are always looking for more partners. We eventually want to place 4,000 systems off the coast of North Holland. In four weeks, for example, the installation from Portugal will be coming this way, so if anyone in IJmond still has room to place it, we'd like to hear about it. And, of course, we also need more funding. In short, have some guts and get involved! This project can only succeed if we do it together."