Eco Wave Power’s 1 MW wave energy plant, located in Porto, will generate electricity based on the movement of ocean waves combined with hydraulic pistons.
Eco Wave Power has been testing wave energy systems for over 10 years, utilizing the up-and-down motion of coastal seawater to drive hydraulic pistons that operate generators. Currently, the company is preparing to build its first megawatt wave energy plant, as reported by New Atlas on August 7th.
Eco Wave Power’s first 1 MW wave energy plant will be located in Porto, northern Portugal. (Image: Eco Wave Power).
Although the system has undergone several modifications over the years, the basic operational principle remains unchanged. The floating buoys attached to breakwaters or other coastal infrastructure rise and fall with the waves, transporting fluid to the onshore accumulator through the motion of hydraulic pistons. The compressed fluid is then released to power generators for electricity production.
The system can operate around the clock, but if the seas become too rough, the floating buoys can be raised until the storm passes. Installation and maintenance processes are relatively straightforward. Connecting to the power grid can be done without laying underwater cables.
Gibraltar became the first Eco Wave Power installation to connect to the power grid in 2016, operating for six years before its components were retrieved, overhauled (or recycled), and transferred to the Port of Los Angeles, USA, for a testing project. Another system installed at the Port of Jaffa in Israel connected to the power grid last year. The company has also signed numerous agreements worldwide in recent years, with the largest being a 77 MW power plant in Turkey.
However, the company’s first megawatt-scale electricity generation project will be situated in Porto, northern Portugal, after receiving construction permits in March this year. The plant will include both a wave energy museum and an educational center within the space beneath the breakwater. This area will also house a significant portion of Eco Wave Power’s equipment. Construction is expected to commence within the next two years, followed by scaling up at four additional sites with a maximum capacity of 20 megawatts.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the potential annual wave energy off the coast is estimated to reach 2.64 trillion kilowatt-hours, equivalent to about 64% of the electricity produced in the U.S. in 2019. Meanwhile, the Ocean Energy Europe association states that 100 GW of wave power capacity could be installed in Europe by 2050, meeting 10% of the electricity demand in various countries. These wave energy projects will significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions worldwide.
