OE35 floating wave energy converter. Image courtesy EMEC

Irish wave energy developer, OceanEnergy, has signed a berth agreement with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, to demonstrate its floating wave converter technology.

OceanEnergy will demonstrate its OE35 floating wave energy converter at EMEC’s Billia Croo wave energy test site off the west coast of Orkney.

The demonstration project is considered an important milestone for OceanEnergy as the firm works to commercialise the technology.

OceanEnergy intends to demonstrate the OE35 over two winter periods from 2024. During that time EMEC will perform technical assessments to confirm reliability, survivability and performance.

EMEC will also perform environmental monitoring, such as underwater and airborne acoustics and the potential interactions between local species and the operation of the technology.

The 1MW OE35 wave energy converter floats on the ocean’s surface, with the lower part of the machine open to the sea. Waves cause a water column within the device to rise and fall, creating pressurised air to rotate a turbine. This generates electricity which will be fed into the UK grid via EMEC’s subsea cable and onshore substation.

The project is supported by the WEDUSEA project, co-funded by the EU Horizon Europe Programme and Innovate UK.

Carly Tait, project manager at EMEC for WEDUSEA said: “During the demonstration of the OE35, EMEC will collect valuable data on the performance of the device. This data will provide OceanEnergy with third party assurance on the power performance of the device, which will be shared with investors and funders to increase their confidence in the technology and enable progression towards commercialisation.

“Environmental data will also be captured, building on existing environmental studies, to provide regulators with improved understanding and reduced uncertainty around environmental impacts of wave energy.”