SIWEED

2025

1. A Portable Wave Tank and Wave Energy Converter for Engineering Dissemination and Outreach

   Nicholas Ross, Delaney Heileman, A. Gerrit Motes, Anwi Fomukong, Giorgio Bacelli, Steven J. Spencer, Dominic D. Forbush, Kevin Dullea, and Ryan G. Coe

   Hardware, Oct 2025

   Abs DOI Bib HTML Code

   Wave energy converters are a nascent energy generation technology that harnesses the power in ocean waves. To assist in communicating both fundamental and complex concepts of wave energy, a small-scale portable wave tank and wave energy converter have been developed. The system has been designed using commercial off-the-shelf components, and all design hardware and software are openly available for replication. This project builds on prior research conducted at Sandia National Laboratories, particularly in the areas of WEC device design and control systems. By showcasing the principles of causal feedback control and innovative device design, SIWEED not only serves as a practical demonstration tool but also enhances the educational experience for users. This paper presents the detailed system design of this tool. Furthermore, via testing and analysis, we demonstrate the basic functionality of the system.

   @article{Ross:2025aa,
     article-number = {5},
     author = {Ross, Nicholas and Heileman, Delaney and Motes, A. Gerrit and Fomukong, Anwi and Bacelli, Giorgio and Spencer, Steven J. and Forbush, Dominic D. and Dullea, Kevin and Coe, Ryan G.},
     bibtex_show = true,
     date-added = {2024-10-11 13:45:25 -0600},
     date-modified = {2025-08-20 17:59:08 -0600},
     doi = {10.3390/hardware3020005},
     issn = {2813-6640},
     journal = {Hardware},
     number = {2},
     title = {A Portable Wave Tank and Wave Energy Converter for Engineering Dissemination and Outreach},
     url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2813-6640/3/2/5},
     volume = {3},
     year = {2025},
     bdsk-url-1 = {https://www.mdpi.com/2813-6640/3/2/5},
     bdsk-url-2 = {https://doi.org/10.3390/hardware3020005}
   }

2021

1. A practical approach to wave energy modeling and control

   Ryan G. Coe, Giorgio Bacelli, and Dominic Forbush

   Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Oct 2021

   Abs DOI Bib HTML Code

   The potential for control design to dramatically improve the economic viability of wave energy has generated a great deal of interest and excitement. However, for a number of reasons, the promised benefits from better control designs have yet to be widely realized by wave energy devices and wave energy remains a relatively nascent technology. This brief paper summarizes a simple, yet powerful approach to wave energy dynamics modeling, and subsequent control design based on impedance matching. Our approach leverages the same concepts that are exploited by a simple FM radio to achieve a feedback controller for wave energy devices that approaches optimal power absorption. If fully utilized, this approach can deliver immediate and consequential reductions to the cost of wave energy. Additionally, this approach provides the necessary framework for control co-design of a wave energy converter, in which an understanding of the control logic allows for synchronous design of the device control system and hardware.

   @article{Coe:2021ab,
     author = {Coe, Ryan G. and Bacelli, Giorgio and Forbush, Dominic},
     bibtex_show = true,
     date-added = {2020-10-07 12:35:05 -0600},
     date-modified = {2025-08-20 17:35:16 -0600},
     doi = {10.1016/j.rser.2021.110791},
     issn = {1364-0321},
     journal = {Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews},
     keywords = {Wave energy converter (WEC), Impedance matching, Control, Marine renewable energy, Power maximization},
     pages = {110791},
     title = {{A practical approach to wave energy modeling and control}},
     url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121000861},
     volume = {142},
     year = {2021},
     bdsk-url-1 = {https://www.techrxiv.org/articles/preprint/A_practical_approach_to_wave_energy_modeling_and_control/12939488},
     bdsk-url-2 = {https://doi.org/10.36227/techrxiv.12939488.v1},
     bdsk-url-3 = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121000861},
     bdsk-url-4 = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.110791}
   }