CorPower Ocean has signed a berth agreement to develop a 5MW wave energy project at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland. The project, announced today by Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes during the All-Energy Conference in Glasgow, is scheduled for deployment in 2029.
The project will consist of 14 wave energy converters (WECs) installed at EMEC’s grid-connected Billia Croo test site. Once operational, it will be the largest wave energy array in the UK, with devices expected to operate for up to 15 years.
The WECs feature a 9m diameter spherical composite hull, which drives the power take-off mechanism in response to ocean waves. The system incorporates CorPower Ocean’s WaveSpring technology, designed to amplify motion and power generation, and includes a storm protection feature that locks down the devices during extreme weather for safe maintenance access.
This will be CorPower Ocean’s second project at EMEC. The company previously tested its C3 device at EMEC’s Scapa Flow site in 2018 through the Wave Energy Scotland programme. Since then, it has tested the C4 device off the coast of Portugal, where it endured waves over 18m high and delivered power to the Portuguese grid. The company also demonstrated its supply chain, installation, and maintenance capabilities.
Before the full-scale deployment, CorPower Ocean plans to install three additional WECs as a smaller-scale wave farm. Hulls and other subsystems for the array are expected to be manufactured in Orkney, with local vessels used for transportation, aiming to lower emissions and support the local economy.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “With its abundant natural resources and unrivalled experience in marine renewables, Scotland is in a prime position for the development and deployment of tidal stream and wave energy to further add to Scotland’s renewable energy mix. I am delighted to announce that CorPower Ocean has entered into an agreement to develop the UK’s largest wave farm at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. This new project will create skilled jobs in Orkney, support a developing supply chain while reinforcing Scotland’s global leadership in marine renewables.”
Anders Jansson, Head of Business Development at CorPower, commented: “We are thrilled to be back at EMEC to build the first commercial wave farm. EMEC and Orkney offers significant know-how and an established supply chain, reducing risk and cost for the project. The UK’s renewable auctions will be key in providing a route to market for the Billia Croo project. The Marine Energy Council (MEC) is calling for the Government to contract its first wave energy project in this year’s auction, either via a £5m wave energy ringfence or setting a clear capacity ambition supported by an alternative mechanism.”
Matthew Finn, Managing Director at EMEC, added: “We’re pleased to welcome CorPower Ocean back to EMEC, having first hosted them at our Scapa Flow test site in 2018. It’s fantastic to see the structured development they’ve pursued – progressing from smaller-scale testing in Orkney to a larger demonstration in Portugal, and now preparing for an array back here at EMEC. Structured innovation is crucial for derisking and improving cost-efficiency when proving technologies at sea. Developing what could become the UK’s largest wave energy array is a major step forward – not only for CorPower Ocean, but for the wave energy sector as a whole. There’s a vast wave energy resource across the globe – estimated at nearly ten times Europe’s annual electricity demand. Progressing towards wave energy array demonstrations is vital to realising its significant potential to strengthen energy security, create a more robust energy mix and create economic value in coastal regions.”
