Swedish wave energy developer CorPower Ocean has signed a berth agreement to build a 5 MW wave energy project at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland.
Scheduled for deployment in 2029, the 5 MW array is expected to become the UK’s largest wave energy project. It will be deployed at EMEC’s grid-connected Billia Croo wave energy test site and consist of 14 wave energy converters (WECs), operating for up to 15 years.
The WECs feature a 9-meter diameter spherical composite hull – one of the strongest shapes in nature - which drives the movement of the power take-off as it responds to passing waves.
Key innovations include CorPower Ocean’s WaveSpring technology, which amplifies the motion and power capture in regular sea states, and a proven storm protection system that locks down the device during extreme conditions and enables safe offshore access for maintenance.
This marks CorPower Ocean’s second project at EMEC, following testing its C3 WEC at EMEC’s Scapa Flow test site in 2018 through the Wave Energy Scotland program.
Since, CorPower Ocean has demonstrated its C4 device off the coast of Portugal, surviving storm waves over 18 meters and producing electricity to the Portuguese grid.
In addition, CorPower Ocean has confirmed an effective supply chain, installation methods and operations and maintenance. The next step is to add three more WECs to form a small wave farm prior to building the 5 MW project at EMEC.
“We are thrilled to be back at EMEC to build the first commercial wave farm. EMEC and Orkney offers significant know-how and an established supply chain, reducing risk and cost for the project.
“The UK’s renewable auctions will be key in providing a route to market for the Billia Croo project. The Marine Energy Council (MEC) is calling for the Government to contract its first wave energy project in this year’s auction, either via a £5 million wave energy ringfence or setting a clear capacity ambition supported by an alternative mechanism,” said Anders Jansson, Head of Business Development at CorPower.
“We’re pleased to welcome CorPower Ocean back to EMEC, having first hosted them at our Scapa Flow test site in 2018. It’s fantastic to see the structured development they’ve pursued – progressing from smaller-scale testing in Orkney to a larger demonstration in Portugal, and now preparing for an array back here at EMEC,” added Matthew Finn, Managing Director at EMEC.