Waves4Power

Waves4Power is a Swedish-based developer of buoy-based Offshore Wave Energy Converter (OWEC) systems.^[1] Ongoing research and development is done in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology.^[2] A partnership with Dutch engineering specialist BnD-Engineering in 2021 aimed to commercialize and deploy the system on a global scale.^[3]

The device is a floating buoy with a long vertical tube containing a "water piston"; this is out-of-phase with the passing waves allowing power to be generated.^[4]

A demonstration plant was installed in February 2016 at the Runde Environmental Centre in Norway.^[5] This was connected via sub-sea cable to the shore based power grid.^[6][7] It was the first grid connected wave energy project in Norway, on 2 June 2017 and rated at 100 kW.^[5]

In November 2017, testing of the WaveEl 3.0 was halted a month early due to damage to the anchor.^[8] This device went through 12,000 hours (almost 1½ years) of survivability demonstration, providing power into the Norwegian electricity grid for around 4,000 hours.^[9] The buoy was 3.0 metres (9.8 ft) in diameter.^[4]

In 2018, ongoing long-term grid-connected testing of a 100 kW Wave-EL prototype at Runde was reported.^[10]

In 2020, the company received a grant from the EU funded Interreg Ocean DEMO project, enabling it to access the grid-connected test berths at EMEC for three years.^[9] The plan was to have six WaveEL devices connected via a hub, and have the device certified by a classification society.^[11] However, as of September 2024^[update] these tests have not happene

In 2022, Waves4Power signed a memorandum of understanding with PLN Indonesia Power to develop wave energy parks.^[12]