eWave 2.1: Hidrodinámica No Lineal y Control Óptimo en Tiempo Real para Convertidores de Energía Undimotriz

The eWave 2.1 aims to contribute to the technological advancement of ocean energy through the experimental validation of advanced nonlinear predictive control strategies applied to wave energy converters (WECs). The project seeks to address the main challenge hindering the commercial deployment of this renewable resource: the high levelized cost of energy (LCOE), which remains approximately four times higher than that of more mature renewable sources such as wind and solar. This elevated cost is primarily due to the technological immaturity of WEC devices, as well as the high installation and maintenance cost and the low efficiency of current energy conversion systems.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that Model Predictive Control (MPC) and its nonlinear variants (NMPC) hold great potential for enhancing energy conversion efficiency, as they enable the explicit inclusion of physical and operational constraints in the optimization process. However, the experimental validation of these advanced control strategies remains scarce in the literature, resulting in a significant knowledge gap regarding their actual performance under non-ideal conditions—such as hydrodynamic nonlinearities, measurement noise, and real-time computational limitations.
T0he preceding project, eWave 2.0, established the experimental foundations for the validation of an optimal control system under linear hydrodynamic assumptions. Nevertheless, it did not account for the nonlinear effects inherent in the fluid structure interaction of the floating body. In this context, eWave 2.1 emerges as a natural extension of that research line, with the objective of experimentally validating a Nonlinear Model Predictive Control strategy implemented via Real-Time Iteration (RTI-NMPC). This technique, developed by researcher Ph.D. Juan Guerrero, has proven to be computationally efficient, solving nonlinear optimization problems in approximately 10 milliseconds, thus positioning it as a viable approach for real-time energy conversion applications.
The research will focus on a one-degree-of-freedom point absorber WEC and will be structured around three main components: i) the integration of nonlinear hydrodynamic effects into the control model; ii) numerical simulations to evaluate the comparative energy efficiency of different control strategies; and iii) the experimental validation of the proposed control system on the artificial wave platforms at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC) and the IMARES Laboratory at the University of Costa Rica (UCR). Additionally, MOREnergyLab from Politécnico de Torino, Italy, will contribute to the work in modelling and simulation of the system.
The expected outcomes of eWave 2.1 are of high scientific and technological relevance, as they will generate novel experimental evidence in the scientific literature regarding the real-world performance of RTI-NMPC systems applied to wave energy conversion. These results will provide a solid foundation for technological scaling and the eventual commercialization of WEC technologies developed in Costa Rica.
Moreover, the project aligns with the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). At the national level, it is consistent with the VII National Energy Plan 2015–2030, specifically with Strategic Objective 3.3: Diversification of Energy Sources, by promoting the advancement of non-conventional renewable energies (NCRE), among which ocean energy represents an emerging field where currently only TEC and ICE are conducting applied research.
Consequently, eWave 2.1 represents a strategic step toward strengthening national capabilities in clean ocean energy, reinforcing TEC’s and Costa Rica’s leadership in applied research, technological innovation, and sustainable energy development.

Validar, tanto numérica como experimentalmente, la eficacia de la estrategia de Control Predictivo por Modelo No Lineal con Iteración en Tiempo Real (RTI-NMPC) aplicada a un Convertidor de Energía Undimotriz (WEC) tipo point absorber, con el fin de maximizar la eficiencia en la conversión de energía oceánica y cuantificar las mejoras en el rendimiento derivadas de la incorporación de los efectos hidrodinámicos no lineales.

Sistemas Energéticos