CorPower Ocean announces wave energy breakthrough in Portuguese waters

29.02.2024

CorPower Ocean’s C4 Wave Energy Converter (WEC) has completed the first cycle of the ocean commissioning program at the Agucadoura site in northern Portugal.

Now proven at commercial scale, at the exposed Atlantic test site, CorPower Ocean’s C4 device has demonstrated unique ability to tune and detune according to varying sea states, limiting response to extreme storm waves (up to 18.5m) while amplifying motion and power capture in regular waves using novel phase control technology.

The progression marks a crucial milestone for wave energy addressing the two major obstacles which have hampered commercial adoption to date – survivability and efficient power generation in normal ocean conditions.

The inflection point provides a firm signal of wave energy’s readiness for widescale adoption.

Since deployment in August 2023, all key aspects of the C4 system functions have now been successfully verified, including power export to grid, automated control and monitoring of the system as well as safe Operations and Maintenance (O&M) methods.

The collected data allowed calibration of the digital twin, an extensive numerical model used to predict the system behaviour. Measured motion and power output data from the machine operating with novel ‘WaveSpring’ phase control has slightly exceeded predictions by the digital twin for the machinery settings used. The first operational phase has been successfully concluded by disconnecting and towing the C4 device back to CorPower Ocean’s on-land base in Viana do Castelo for its first planned maintenance cycle. This demonstration of efficient O&M methods is a key goal of the C4 deployment program, to support scale-up to utility scale wave farms in the future.

After completing a first on-land check-up and maintenance cycle, C4 will be re-deployed at the Agucadoura site, and the demonstration program continued. Further details on results from the first phase of C4 operations is provided here.