WavEC Offshore Renewables is a R&D based consultant company founded in 2003, dedicated to promote the development of marine renewable energy and and offshore aquaculture as a new sector of economic activity, supported by knowledge and innovation.
We had a chat with António Sarmento, Founder & Senior Board Advisor, about the collaboration with INESC TEC.
Together with INESC TEC, WavEC holds the Companhia da Energia Oceânica (CEO). What are CEO’s main objectives? What infrastructures does it provide?
WavEC, with about 38% of the shares, and INESC TEC, with about 57% of the shares, are the main shareholders of Companhia de Energia Oceânica (CEO). The remaining 5% is held by EDP, the former majority shareholder. The main objective of the CEO is to provide the country with a real test centre for ocean technologies, namely offshore renewable energy, supporting or complementary technologies. In particular, the CEO features an electrical substation on Aguçadoura beach with a capacity of 4 MW (15/6.6 KV), equipped with a SCADA system and a battery bank (rectifiers), in addition to an office space. The facilities also include an offshore electrical cable with a power of 2.8 MW, which is used by the CEO under an existing use contract. The CEO also features another end-of-life offshore electrical cable, which is used for research purposes. The Aguçadoura offshore area is indicated in the Portuguese MSP Situation Plan (PSOEM) as reserved for the testing of renewable ocean technologies, providing the appropriate framework for the use of the CEO’s infrastructure. To better carry out its mission, the CEO is committed to creating a Technological Free Zone in Aguçadoura.
What is the potential of said renewable energy testing centres?
Ocean technologies, namely renewable energy technologies (wind, wave and solar photovoltaic) are still under development, with a race to test centres at sea to validate and demonstrate these technologies, an essential step to reduce risks, attract investment and enter the market. For this reason, the European Commission has encouraged the development of networks of test centres at sea; more recently, a group of test centres – where the CEO is integrated – is preparing a consortium to create high-power facilities to connect to the grid – essential to support the development of floating wind turbines of 15 MW or more. At the national level, these test centres are very relevant, as they make it possible to anticipate the participation of the national industry in technological development, increasing the opportunities to position themselves as privileged suppliers at the national and international level, as well as to provide opportunities for R&D entities to participate in this type of projects.
In your opinion, how do you perceive the future of offshore wind power?
Offshore wind power is already a well-established reality with more than 8500 turbines installed worldwide, making a total of 65 GW installed. Floating wind energy is taking its first steps towards market entry and consolidating the technology of the platforms that support the turbines, with a target of installation of 15 to 30 GW by 2050 in Europe alone. The energy of the waves and currents – the latter without great potential in Portugal – are at an advanced stage of technological development, but it’s still hard to install demonstration sites. Floating PV power is already well developed in terms of applications in dams and lakes, but taking its first steps towards installation at sea. We’ll certainly witness the massive installation of floating wind energy and the installation of the first wave, tidal current and floating solar photovoltaic energy demonstration parks at sea, followed by the development of industrial parks.
What do you value the most about your collaboration with INESC TEC?
The collaboration with INESC TEC in the promotion and management of the CEO, and of the Aguçadoura test centre, has been absolutely fundamental, namely considering the credibility the Institute bestows to this project; it’s also worth mentioning the availability to contribute to the project’s positioning, as well as the technical and management competences, the proximity to the site, the contribution of other technologies to support offshore renewable energy (underwater robotics), and the attraction of R&D projects, which somehow support and sustain the operation of the Aguçadoura test centre and CEO itself.
What can we expect from WavEC over the upcoming years?
WavEC is a Technology and Interface Centre fully dedicated to marine renewable energies (floating wind, wave and floating solar PV), and related or complementary technologies. It benefits from a huge record of service provision and R&D projects, mainly European, in the aforementioned areas. In view of the announcement of tenders for offshore wind energy in Portugal, WavEC has been asserting itself as a service provider in this framework – namely, in three main areas: monitoring and evaluation of environmental impact, economy and business development of wind farms to be installed, and offshore engineering and logistics to support the operation and maintenance of these farms. In addition, WavEC monitors and promotes technological development in wave, floating solar PV and floating wind power, either by supporting technological companies operating in these areas, or by developing innovation and additional internal capacities in the areas of environmental monitoring, creation of digital twins or signal processing.
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