Project description
Efficient, cost-effective wave energy capture technology
Oscillating water columns are a type of wave energy converter that harnesses energy from the oscillation of the seawater inside a chamber. The EU-funded HACE project plans to unveil the first multi-chamber oscillating water column, which unlike its single-chamber counterpart will generate power from all types of waves. What is more, the lightweight, low-cost device will provide 10–15 times more energy output per tonne and will reduce operating costs by a factor of 2. HACE estimates a demand from 19 power plants in 2022, corresponding to a revenue of EUR 67 million.
Objective
HACE brings to market the first multi-chamber oscillating water column. Unlike other wave energy converter (WEC) technologies that can harvest energy from a limited wave spectrum, our unique technology can generate power from all types of waves. Our low-cost and low-weight device is able provide 10-15x the energy output per ton compared to state-of-the art WECs and its simple maintenance can reduce operating costs by a factor of 2x. These innovations will drive the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of wave energy below 50 Euros / MWh for the first time. Led by its lead inventor and supported by a skilled technical and business team, the HACE team has developed and validated between 2013 and 2017 its first scaled device with an initial funding of €1M and support from key technical partners such as SOGETI High Tech, ENSAM and Ingeliance. This breakthrough innovation has been recognized with the TransTech Award in 2015 and the E5T Energy Transition Prize in 2017. HACE already received commercial interest from several utilities (Akuo Energy, JIRAMA, TOTAL) and will use this phase 1 project to identify at least one full-scale demonstration customer. HACE estimates a demand from utilities of 19 power plants in 2022 (8x66kW, 4x200kW and 4x1MW, 2x5MW, 1x10MW) corresponding to a revenue of 67M Euros and generating 37 direct jobs and 120 indirect (ecosystem) jobs.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
33650 MARTILLAC
France
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.