Orecon, the Cornish wave energy device firm, is establishing a joint venture company with Portuguese developer Eneólica. The partnership aims to build and deploy Orecon’s first full-scale 1.5-megawatt Multi Resonant Chambers (MRC) wave energy buoy.

The installation will be connected to the Portuguese electricity grid and deliver power for up to 1,500 homes. When the first unit has been connected, two further MRCs will be added to the site, increasing the power output to 4.5 megawatts, which would make it the world’s largest operating wave farm to date.

Orecon and Eneólica intend to develop further multi-megawatt sites in Portugal over the next 10 years.

“We are delighted to be working with such an experienced and forward thinking farm developer like Eneólica and are confident that the partnership can deliver a commercially successful project,” said David Crisp, Orecon’s CEO.

“We are very happy to be able to work with Orecon in the development of this project, given the great potential of the technology and also the high competence and experience of Orecon’s team, which is one of the most important assets for the success of this project,” added Agostinho Ribeiro, CEO Eneólica.

Orecon was also recently awarded a berth at the UK Wave Hub in Cornwall and has now started pursuing partners with whom to deploy a UK test array there.

Tags: wave energy