Wave-powered buoy records Typhoon Saola data in South China

BEIJING -- An in-situ, wave-powered, floating observation buoy has recorded data on Typhoon Saola, the ninth typhoon this year as counted by China's meteorological authorities, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The buoy was launched at a marine ranch in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province, by the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion (GIEC), which is under the umbrella of CAS.

It obtained live video data and recorded the formation, development and extinction process of the super typhoon as it passed through the region.

It has an installed wave energy power of 10 kilowatts. It can stably output voltage levels ranging from 12 volts to 380 volts, as well as different forms of standard power, including alternating and direct currents.

Saola made landfall in the city of Zhuhai at 3:30 am on Sept 2, with maximum wind speeds of 42 to 46 meters per second near its eye.

The buoy also obtained real-time data on sea conditions during other typhoons, including Typhoon Talim and Typhoon Doksuri.