A 1MW wave energy installation in Portugal is a step closer to construction after engineers confirmed the site’s favourable ocean conditions.
Swedish renewable energy firm Eco Wave Power Global plans to build a 1MW wave energy station nown as ‘the Gallery’ at the Barra do Douro breakwater in the northern city of Porto.
Mounting the firm’s onshore/near-shore wave energy converters on this existing breakwater structure, located beneath Porto’s protective sea wall, eliminates the need to build any additional offshore platforms.
Eco Wave Power’s system works by capturing the motion of incoming waves and converting it into electricity. Key to the design are modular floaters, two to three metres long, that rise and fall as waves break against the breakwater, driving hydraulic pistons that power onshore generators. The electricity generated is then fed into the local grid.
The patented system is designed to be efficient and scalable and to minimise environmental impact.
A key milestone has been...