Marine Energy

Eco Wave Power kicks off first MW-scale wave energy project in Portugal

Eco Wave Power kicks off first MW-scale wave energy project in Portugal
(Inna Braverman during the site visit to the underwater gallery, which will be used for the installation of wave energy conversion units. Image courtesy Eco Wave Power. )

Wave energy company Eco Wave Power has kicked off the first MW-scale wave energy project in Porto, Portugal. The project is being executed in line with a 20 MW Concession Agreement with APDL (Administração dos Portos do Douro, Leixões e Viana do Castelo, S.A) and is planned to be followed by a gradual expansion to the entire 20 MW of installed capacity.

The announcement follows a meeting and official site visit by Inna Braverman, founder and chief executive officer of Eco Wave Power, alongside Eco Wave Power’s engineering team, with APDL and other relevant stakeholders for the project’s official kickoff.

After the meeting, Eco Wave Power’s engineering team held a site visit to the breakwater and the room underneath the breakwater, known as The Gallery, where Eco Wave Power’s energy conversion equipment will be installed and later opened to the public as a first of its kind wave energy museum and education center.

During the site visit, Eco Wave Power’s team met with local subcontractors and manufacturers to choose the preferred entities that would take part in the execution of the project.

“We believe that this will be the first wave energy project in the world to show significant energy production from the power of the waves,” Braverman said. “I truly believe that this revolutionary project will position Eco Wave Power as a leading wave energy developer and serve as a significant milestone towards the commercialization of our wave energy technology globally.

“I would like to thank the Municipality of Porto and APDL, for being true wave energy pioneers, by enabling and supporting the development of an innovative, environmentally friendly energy generation technology, which will serve to lower the port’s carbon footprint, while creating new workplaces and an innovative industry in Portugal.”

In March 2024, Eco Wave Power received the final approval necessary for commencement of the construction works of the project from APDL Port Authority and issued them a performance bond, meant to solidify the company’s commitment to the construction of the project within two years.

According to Eco Wave Power, the project falls in line with the renewable energy plan of the Government of Portugal, which in July 2024 announced that it aims to generate 85% of its annual electricity production from renewable sources by 2030, compared to 61% in 2023, one of the highest ratios in Europe.

This article was originally published on Power Engineering International.