Pioneer WEC Dashboard

Overview

This dashboard shows data from the Pioneer wave energy converter (WEC) v1 prototype’s deployment, which provides power to a mooring within the Coastal Pioneer Array. The Coastal Pioneer Array is an NSF-funded project within the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) that provides oceanographic data relevant to cross-shelf dynamics. The Pioneer WEC uses a novel pitch resonator design [1], [2] that has been optimized through modeling [3], testing [1], [4], control co-design [5], [6], [7], [8]. The Pioneer WEC v1 prototype was deployed on November 2nd, 2025 and recovered on May 1st, 2026 [9] – data from the deployment is available on MHK-DR. A Pioneer WEC v2 prototype is currently under development.

Project goals

Deliver power to support OOI’s scientific mission
Advance the state-of-the-art for wave energy converter design
Openly disseminate data and findings

v1 prototype goals

WEC functionality proof-of-concept
System management and interfaces functionality
Benchmark numerical models for WEC performance
Gather data to inform future design iterations

Data Sources

Wave & Meteorological Data

Wave measurements and environmental conditions from NDBC buoys:

44014: Virginia Beach, 64 NM Southeast of Cape Henry, VA
44079: Mid-Atlantic Bight Northern Surface Mooring
41083: Mid-Atlantic Bight Southern Surface Mooring
44095: Oregon Inlet, NC

Pioneer data

Real-time data from the Central Surface Mooring:

WEC data (power, motions, etc.): decimated summary data uploaded via iridium satellite nightly
General data from OOI: scientific data collected by OOI on the Central Surface Mooring and other platforms

Photo Gallery

Sandia engineers ready Pioneer WEC v1 prototype for testing on NLR's Large Amplitude Motion Platform (LAMP) (credit: Taylor Mankle and Josh Baurer, NLR)
Pioneer WEC v1 final assembly (credit: Taylor Mankle and Josh Baurer, NLR)
Pioneer WEC v1 prototype undergoes final readiness testing (credit: Taylor Mankle and Josh Baurer, NLR)
Pioneer WEC v1 pendulum and electronics panel (credit: Taylor Mankle and Josh Baurer, NLR)
Lifting operation during recovery of a Coastal Surface Mooring
Two Coastal Surface Mooring buoys on deck of R/V Armstrong (credit: Ocean Observatories Initiative)
Central surface mooring with Pioneer WEC v1 prototype; R/V Armstrong in background (credit: Taylor Mankle and Josh Baurer, NLR)
Central surface mooring with Pioneer WEC v1 prototype operating at sea (credit: Taylor Mankle and Josh Baurer, NLR)

Summary Statistics

Deployment date

2025-11-03

Deployment duration

181 days

Peak WEC power

20.2 W

Mean WEC power

8.6 W

Median WEC power

9.3 W

Total WEC energy

36.9 kWh

Mean Solar Power

25.2 W

Mean Wind Power

68.4 W

Interactive Visualizations

Click any plot to open in new tab. Hover, zoom, and pan for details.

Data Downloads

Raw data files in HDF5/NetCDF format. Can be opened with xarray, Python, MATLAB, or other scientific tools.

Team

References

[1]J. Lee et al., “Theory, Analysis, and Testing of an Angular Resonator for Wave Energy Generation,” Journal of Ocean Engineering and Marine Energy, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 97–107, 2025. doi: 10.1007/s40722-024-00366-6
[2]R. G. Coe et al., “Pioneer WEC concept design report,” Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, SAND2023-10861, Oct. 2023. doi: 10.2172/2280833
[3]J. Grasberger et al., “Hydrodynamic characterization of the Coastal Pioneer Array ocean observing system,” Journal of Ocean Engineering and Marine Energy, 2025. doi: 10.1007/s40722-025-00392-y
[4]R. G. Coe et al., “Bench testing of an early prototype pitch resonator WEC,” Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, SAND2024-10402, Aug. 2024. doi: 10.2172/2429934
[5]M. C. Devin et al., “High-dimensional control co-design of a wave energy converter with a novel pitch resonator power takeoff system,” Ocean Engineering, vol. 312, p. 119124, Sept. 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.oceaneng.2024.119124
[6]R. G. Coe et al., “Co-design of a wave energy converter for autonomous power,” in 15th IFAC Conference on Control Applications in Marine Systems, Robotics and Vehicles (IFAC-CAMS), Blacksburg, VA: IFAC, Sept. 2024, pp. 446–451. doi: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2024.10.094
[7]A. Keow, J. Lee, G. Bacelli, and R. G. Coe, “Design Principles for Resonant Wave Energy Converters: Benchmarking Power Capture and Flow,” IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, pp. 1–12, 2025. doi: 10.1109/TEC.2025.3593152
[8]A. Keow, J. Lee, G. Bacelli, and R. G. Coe, “Comparative Analysis of Pendulum and Flywheel Power Take-Off Mechanisms for Wave Energy Conversion,” IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, pp. 1–12, 2026. doi: 10.1109/TEC.2026.3652091
[9]R. G. Coe et al., “Pioneer WEC v1 testing report,” Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, SAND2026-24615, July 2026. doi: 10.2172/3403348