Waverly

What it does

Waverly generates energy by converting wave motion and solar energy into electricity, addressing the underuse of wave power despite oceans covering 70% of the Earth. Its IoT BMS enables remote monitoring, providing reliable and sustainable clean energy access.

Your inspiration

I was inspired by my hometown, Sarawak’s green initiatives, including having solar farms and the hydrogen hub under the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030, where renewable energy is identified as a key enabler. After learning about ocean-based AI data centers and their immense energy demands, I saw an opportunity where the ocean could serve as both a renewable energy source and a natural coolant. This inspired the creation of Waverly, a wave energy generator designed for remote deployment, with future potential to power electric vessels and offshore data infrastructure in a sustainable way.

How it works

The kinetic energy from ocean waves turns a propeller in a circular motion, similar to how wind spins a fan. This spinning is copied using a small 12 V motor connected to belts and wheels, which spin the shaft of a generator. At the generator, a spinning coil of wire moves near strong neodymium magnets, creating power through a process called electromagnetic induction. A special device called a commutator makes sure the electricity flows in just one direction. A solar panel is added to provide sustainable energy, making it a hybrid model when the waves are calm, and also reduces direct sunlight. The generated electrical energy is used to power the smart battery management system that manages battery charging and discharging processes, protects against overvoltage and overheating, and ensures overall battery safety. Through embedded IoT capabilities, it transmits real-time data to a remote monitoring application via the Arduino IoT Cloud platform.

Design process

The project began with market research into existing wave energy devices. Many of these were costly, bulky, and ineffective during calm conditions, with limited energy storage capabilities and no remote monitoring features. Recognising this gap, I set out to design a simpler, more adaptable system. I started by sketching the mechanical layout, focusing on capturing horizontal wave motion to drive a rotating component, supported by a pulley system for energy transfer. The first prototype was built using basic materials such as a 6 V DC motor, pulleys and wooden frames to test the mechanical movement. However, during testing, the motor proved too weak to generate sufficient motion, especially under load. I then upgraded to a 12 V DC motor for better torque and added neodymium magnets to enhance the system’s movement and energy conversion. To improve sustainability, I added a solar panel to provide additional energy support during low-wave conditions. I also integrated it with a smart BMS capable of remote monitoring via mobile phone. Further improvements included mounting the system on a floatable base for testing in both river and ocean environments and enhancing the mechanical layout by adding a buoy beneath the generator to capture both horizontal and vertical wave motions.

How it is different

Unlike most existing wave energy systems that capture motion in only one direction, this design harnesses both horizontal and vertical wave movements using a rack-and-pinion mechanism for greater energy extraction. It is tested in real environments, and it achieved up to 38.02% efficiency in ocean and 34.99% in river settings without solar, significantly outperforming models like MIT’s PTO (7.3%) and Uppsala’s (14.3%). It generates 233 mWh/day, compared to just 1 mWh/day in standard prototypes. While most wave energy systems focus solely on generation, this design goes further by integrating an IoT-based battery management system using ESP32 and Arduino Cloud for real-time monitoring of voltage, temperature, and charging. The system is also hybridised with solar energy, allowing continuous operation and enhanced reliability even during low-wave conditions, making it a smarter and more resilient renewable energy solution for off-grid use.

Future plans

I hope to improve my design to make it more efficient, reliable, and ready for real-life use, just like how solar power has become more popular and affordable over time. I want to develop it further so it can be used in bigger projects, such as hybrid energy farms that combine wave and solar power to provide clean, stable, and green energy to coastal and island communities. I also hope this system can be used to power underwater data centres, which are becoming more common in today’s world. My goal is to help the world move towards using more renewable energy and reduce our need for fossil fuels for a more sustainable future.

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