A 1MW wave energy installation in Portugal is a step closer to construction after engineers confirmed the site’s favourable ocean conditions.

Swedish renewable energy firm Eco Wave Power Global plans to build a 1MW wave energy station nown as ‘the Gallery’ at the Barra do Douro breakwater in the northern city of Porto.

Mounting the firm’s onshore/near-shore wave energy converters on this existing breakwater structure, located beneath Porto’s protective sea wall, eliminates the need to build any additional offshore platforms.

Eco Wave Power’s system works by capturing the motion of incoming waves and converting it into electricity. Key to the design are modular floaters, two to three metres long, that rise and fall as waves break against the breakwater, driving hydraulic pistons that power onshore generators. The electricity generated is then fed into the local grid.

The patented system is designed to be efficient and scalable and to minimise environmental impact.

A key milestone has been reached in moving the Porto project from planning to construction with the completion of a detailed wave and structural load assessment. The analysis was carried out by MetOcean Consult, a Netherlands-based engineering consultancy specialising in the numerical modelling of waves, currents and marine environmental conditions. 

Marco Westra, managing director at MetOcean Consult, said: “Our analysis of the Barra do Douro breakwater shows wave and wave-loading conditions that are well suited to Eco Wave Power’s latest floater design, providing a solid technical foundation for the project as it advances toward execution.”

Eco Wave Power says it will now engage with the public port authority, which owns the breakwater structure, in the coming weeks to finalise schedules and advance the project towards on-site execution. Subject to final regulatory approvals, the firm should have the project connected to the grid later this year. 

This 1MW installation is the initial phase of a planned 20MW wave energy project, with potential deployments at four separate breakwater sites in Porto.

Inna Braverman, CEO and founder of Eco Wave Power, said: “Portugal has established itself as a leader in renewable energy adoption, and we are proud that our Porto project contributes to the continued diversification of the country’s clean energy portfolio.

“This initiative underscores our commitment to scaling wave energy solutions and delivering predictable, sustainable power from the world’s oceans.”

With wave power projects already installed in Israel and California, the firm’s upcoming project pipeline includes installations in Portugal, Taiwan and India.

Below is a video of Braverman explaining how the technology works from an installation in California.