Project description
New device converts waves to energy
Oceans represent a huge, predictable resource for renewable energy. The main forms of ocean energy are waves, tides, marine currents, salinity gradient and temperature gradient. Wave and tidal energy are currently the most mature technologies. The EU-funded ECOWEC project is the first onshore multiple-purpose wave energy converter. It harvests and converts wave power in multiple energy forms. Prepared for the market, it also features modularity, scalability and financial sustainability. The device can be installed in ports, marinas and any other location with coastal artificial structures. The targeted end users are port and marina authorities, which can benefit from long-term cost savings in energy expenditure while increasing air quality and reducing their environmental impact.
Objective
Reducing the environmental impact of our economy has become an impelling necessity: climate change in fact is increasingly producing negative effects on the planet and our societies. In this frame, finding new renewable energy sources to reduce CO2 emissions and contrasting coastal erosion are among the most challenging issues, which are strictly interconnected by one element: wave power.
ECOWEC is the first onshore multiple-purpose wave energy converter. Its disruptive innovation is in the performance of multiple and customizable functions at once: the device harvests and converts wave power in multiple energy forms, while protecting shoreline from coastal erosion. Thanks to the innovative application of commercial technologies and its unique design, ECOWEC is a market-oriented device: main features are modularity, scalability and financial sustainability.
ECOWEC is a suitable device to be installed in ports, marinas and in any other location provided with coastal artificial structures. Our targeted end-users are mainly port and marinas authorities: by installing our device, they can ensure themselves long-term cost savings in energy expenditure, while increasing the air quality of port areas and reducing their environmental impact. By intersepting different issues, our technology is a suitable solution to catch the huge market opportunity represented by Blue Growth.
Fazzini Meccanica boasts a solid engineering expertise, developed in over 20 years of activity. Every day we create innovation to deliver our clients tailor-made mechanical projects. Thanks to regular collaborations in the Offshore Oil & Gas Industry, we developed a good understanding of marine environment and offshore engineering. For this reason, Fazzini Meccanica is a suitable candidate to tackle the challenge of developing a market-oriented WEC: this project will boost the growth of our company, allowing us to double our profit over a period of 3 years.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energyhydroelectricitymarine energywave power
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringair pollution engineering
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
37029 SAN PIETRO IN CARIANO
Italy
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.