Analysis of the Power Supply for Oceanographic Buoys

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Meteorological and oceanographic buoys are used to characterize various physical and meteorological parameters and variables in the ocean, whether for research or for the development of projects in the private maritime industry. The meteorological and oceanographic parameters measured are collected and recorded in databases by organizations such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada. To carry out their operations, the buoys must be equipped with a robust and reliable power supply system that ensures both the operation of the instrumentation installed on their structures and the communication system that transmits the collected data to a station on land.

With this in mind, Multi-Electronics contacted Nergica to evaluate the buoy power supply system provided by the company. This project is part of the Opten research program.

The Nergica team first analyzed the performance of the wind turbine mounted on the buoy, then that of the photovoltaic system, in order to assess the feasibility of removing the wind turbine and replacing it with a purely solar power supply. The variables analyzed included the type of PV modules used, their orientation, their tilt, and the possibility of incorporating a sun-tracking system (solar tracker).

Finally, Nergica analyzed the performance of the storage system and assessed the potential for improving its efficiency by changing the type of controller. Nergica provided the client with a set of conclusions and recommendations for future work.