WEDUSEA’s €19.6M Wave Energy Project
Seavium Blog: Pioneering the Future of Renewable Energy
The shift to renewable energy has long been a crucial goal for many countries worldwide, but few innovations are as exciting as wave energy, a resource that could have the potential to power a significant portion of the world’s energy needs. Enter the €19.6 million WEDUSEA project—a groundbreaking initiative set to serve as a pivotal stepping stone toward large-scale commercial wave energy production. Recently given the go-ahead by the European Union, this ambitious project could reshape the future of renewable energy, pushing wave technology closer to mainstream adoption.
The Vision Behind WEDUSEA
WEDUSEA (Wave Energy Demonstration at Utility Scale to Enable Arrays) is a unique collaboration bringing together 14 partners from across industry and academia, spanning countries like the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Spain. Spearheaded by Irish company OceanEnergy, the project is co-funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe Programme and Innovate UK. Following a rigorous review by external experts appointed by the European Commission, the project has now moved into its next phase.
This project will demonstrate the commercial viability of wave energy by deploying a 1MW OE35 floating wave energy converter at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland. Over two years, this converter will operate in real-world Atlantic wave conditions, providing invaluable data on the feasibility, cost reduction, and environmental impact of wave energy technology.
How Wave Energy Works: The OE35 Converter
At the heart of the WEDUSEA project is the OE35 floating wave energy converter. This isn’t just any device—it’s the world’s largest capacity floating wave energy converter.
So how does it work? The device floats on the surface of the ocean and traps a volume of air within its structure. The lower part of the device is open to the sea, allowing wave pressure to push water into this section, forcing the air upwards. The air is then funneled through a turbine that generates electricity. From there, the electricity is transmitted back to the grid via EMEC’s subsea cables, making it one of the few renewable sources that operate entirely in harmony with the ocean’s natural rhythms.
Why Wave Energy?
According to OceanEnergy’s Chief Technical Officer, Prof Tony Lewis, wave energy could be the world’s most valuable untapped renewable resource, with an estimated annual production potential of 30 Terawatts-hours (TWh). To put that into context, this is almost ten times the current electricity consumption of Europe alone. Yet despite its enormous promise, wave energy remains largely underexploited.
What makes wave energy particularly attractive is its predictability. Unlike wind or solar, wave patterns can be forecasted days in advance, making energy production more consistent. The WEDUSEA project aims to demonstrate not just the feasibility of wave energy but also to show that this technology can be scaled up, reducing costs and opening the door to further industrialisation.
The Three Phases of WEDUSEA
The project unfolds across three key phases:
- Design and Build: The first stage involves designing and constructing the OE35 device, ensuring that it is optimised for the oceanic conditions at EMEC’s Billia Croo wave energy test site.
- Demonstration: Over a two-year period starting in June 2025, the OE35 will undergo rigorous testing in real-world Atlantic wave conditions. This phase will measure the environmental and technical impact of the device, gathering crucial data to drive future innovations.
- Commercialisation and Dissemination: The final stage of WEDUSEA is perhaps the most critical. The goal is to scale up the technology for commercial use and to disseminate the results to key stakeholders in the renewable energy sector, proving that wave energy can be a commercially viable and environmentally sound solution.
Industry and Academic Collaboration
The WEDUSEA project isn’t just about technology; it’s also a story of collaboration between some of the best minds in industry and academia. The 14 partners involved bring a diverse range of expertise to the table, making WEDUSEA a truly interdisciplinary effort.
Key partners include:
- OceanEnergy (Ireland): The lead organisation developing the OE35 converter.
- INNOSEA (France and UK): Providing advanced simulation and engineering support.
- University College Cork (Ireland) and University of Plymouth (UK): Contributing academic research and technical expertise.
- Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (Germany): Europe’s largest application-oriented research organisation, supporting technological developments.
These partnerships are vital in ensuring that the WEDUSEA project is both innovative and feasible. They also ensure that the project meets the highest technical standards, keeping it on track to become a world leader in wave energy technology.
Global Impact and Future Projections
The success of the WEDUSEA project could reverberate across multiple industries, particularly those that are inherently reliant on ocean resources. As wave energy matures, it has the potential to transform coastal communities, maritime industries, and energy grids worldwide.
According to a recent IEA (International Energy Agency) report, wave energy could meet over 10% of global energy demands if fully realized. That’s an extraordinary figure, especially when you consider that countries around the world are striving to meet net-zero carbon targets by 2050. The sheer consistency and strength of ocean waves make this renewable resource a reliable option compared to intermittent sources like solar and wind.
From a financial standpoint, market projections are equally promising. The global wave energy market, estimated at around $45 million in 2020, is expected to reach nearly $1 billion by 2030, according to research from MarketWatch. Innovations like the OE35 converter are the building blocks that will bring these ambitious forecasts to life. And with WEDUSEA driving forward the commercialisation of wave energy, we could see a global adoption of this technology sooner than expected.
The Role of Workboats in Wave Energy Projects
As wave energy projects like WEDUSEA continue to grow, they will inevitably require robust logistical support. The installation and maintenance of large-scale devices such as the OE35 converter demand specialised workboats—an essential component in offshore operations.
Workboats play a critical role throughout the lifecycle of wave energy projects, whether it’s transporting equipment, performing maintenance on devices, or decommissioning infrastructure at the end of its operational life. Projects such as WEDUSEA require a fleet of versatile vessels that can handle a wide range of tasks in some of the harshest marine environments.
Seavium’s platform provides a streamlined solution for connecting project developers with the vessels they need to succeed. By offering real-time vessel availability and data, Seavium eliminates the cumbersome and often opaque processes involved in chartering vessels. Through our vessel search engine, we aim to simplify maritime operations, reduce costs, and ultimately support the growth of renewable energy projects like WEDUSEA.
What’s Next for WEDUSEA?
With construction beginning in the second half of 2024 and the demonstration scheduled to launch by June 2025, the next two years will be crucial for the future of wave energy. WEDUSEA is not just another renewable energy project; it’s a leap toward the future of sustainable power. The goal is not only to validate the technical feasibility of wave energy but also to prove that this technology can be cost-effective and scalable.
Looking further into the future, we could see wave energy farms becoming as ubiquitous as wind farms are today. However, achieving that goal will require continued investment, collaboration, and—most importantly—trust in the technology’s potential.
Seavium: Supporting the Future of Renewable Energy
At Seavium, we understand the complexity of managing offshore projects, especially in the evolving field of renewable energy. Our platform is designed to serve as a vital tool for project developers, operators, and charterers alike. By offering transparent, efficient access to workboats and support vessels, we aim to accelerate the transition to greener maritime operations.
The WEDUSEA project is just one example of how renewable energy initiatives are reshaping the maritime industry. As the demand for vessels to support these projects increases, so too will the need for platforms like Seavium that can connect stakeholders with the right resources at the right time.
Looking for vessels to support your offshore wave energy projects? Seavium provides a seamless, transparent platform for chartering workboats and support vessels. Discover more at Seavium and be part of the renewable energy revolution!
