Manchester Bobber - New Wave Device

This article,
Manchester develops new wave energy device: The Manchester Bobber reports on a new ocean energy device outof the University of Manchester which was recently showcased at the New and Renewable Energy Centre. The article describes the Bobber as follows:

The Manchester Bobber’s inventive features utilise the rise and fall (or ‘bobbing’) of the water surface. This movement transmits energy, which is then extracted by the mechanics to drive a generator and produce electricity. The vision is to have a series of Bobbers working together to generate electricity. One concept which is currently being explored is the use of decommissioned offshore rigs as platforms for the devices....

The Bobber’s unique features include:

The vulnerable mechanical and electrical components are housed in a protected environment well above sea level, which makes for ease of accessibility.

All mechanical and electrical components are readily available, resulting in high reliability compared to other devices, with a large number of more sophisticated components.

The Manchester Bobber will respond to waves from any direction without requiring adjustment.

The ability to maintain and repair specific ‘bobber’ generators (independent of others in a linked group) means that generation supply to the network can continue uninterrupted.