The HEC platform harnesses wave, wind, and solar energy, providing a stable electricity production capacity of approximately 1 MW.
Swedish renewable energy company NoviOcean has developed the Hybrid Energy Converter (HEC) to simultaneously harness wave, wind, and solar energy, helping to reduce the costs of clean electricity production, as reported by Interesting Engineering on October 1st. Additionally, the HEC generates significantly more electricity compared to traditional wind farms over the same marine area.
Floating hybrid energy platform at sea. (Photo: NoviOcean).
NoviOcean stated that with its modular design and proven components, the HEC can be easily produced, installed, and maintained with minimal environmental impact. “Our machine maximizes renewable energy by combining wave, wind, and solar power into a single solution, ensuring electricity production even when there is no sun or wind. Each machine can supply electricity to over 1,000 households daily,” shared Jan Skjoldhammer, the founder and CEO of NoviOcean.
The HEC converter resembles a rectangular raft measuring 38 meters in length. It is oriented along the wave direction, featuring a water-filled cylinder beneath it connected to the seabed via a piston rod and cable. Anchors are used to secure the raft in place.
The machine operates like a garden pump. When the raft rises, water is pumped up and flows at high speed to a Pelton turbine, generating electricity. The wave power capacity of the raft is 650 kW. Additionally, it is equipped with six vertical-axis wind turbines generating 300 kW of electricity, combined with solar panels producing 50 to 80 kW, totaling approximately 1 MW.
NoviOcean’s wave energy technology has been developed over several years and tested in wave tanks as well as real-world environments. A smaller version of the HEC has provided electricity to homes on Svanholmen Island, Sweden, demonstrating the technology’s effectiveness at sea.
One square kilometer of sea can accommodate 15 rafts, generating 15 MW of electricity. In comparison, a traditional wind farm in the same area typically produces around 10 MW. When these two solutions are combined, they can achieve a capacity of up to 25 MW while sharing the costs associated with marine area and transmission cables.
According to NoviOcean, the HEC offers stable energy production because waves can continue to generate electricity for days after the wind has calmed. Furthermore, the rafts can be installed close to shore without disrupting the landscape.
NoviOcean’s next step is to launch a large-scale pilot project in collaboration with offshore wind companies to build a hybrid energy farm. Due to insufficient wave activity in Swedish waters, potential sites will include the coasts of North and South America.
