CorPower Ocean Demonstrates Wave Energy Converter Performance

Swedish company CorPower Ocean has announced significant progress in wave energy utilization. The company's commercial-scale C4 wave energy converter (WEC) has successfully completed a demonstration program off the coast of Portugal at the Aguçadoura site.

During the tests, the device demonstrated a unique ability to tune its response to varying wave conditions. It limited its response during extreme storms, with wave heights reaching up to 18.5 meters, while amplifying motion and power capture in normal sea states using novel phase control technology. This capability addresses two of the biggest obstacles that have previously hindered commercial adoption of wave energy: survivability in extreme conditions and efficient power generation in normal ocean conditions.

Since its deployment in August 2023, all key system functions have been verified, including power export to the grid, automated control and monitoring, and operations and maintenance (O&M) methods. The collected data also allowed for the calibration of a digital twin, a detailed numerical model used to predict system behavior. Following the conclusion of the first phase of testing, the C4 device was disconnected and towed back to CorPower Ocean's onshore base in Viana do Castelo for its first planned maintenance cycle.

CorPower Ocean highlights that verifying storm survivability through four major storms, including Storm Domingos in November 2023, is a crucial outcome. The device's ability to resume operations and export power to the grid after each storm validates its design principles. The company plans to continue the demonstration program after the C4 device is redeployed.