Mocean Energy’s Blue Horizon project gears up for offshore trials

Scottish wave energy company Mocean Energy’s Blue Horizon project is progressing through detailed design work, final testing, and preparations for manufacturing and offshore deployment as part of the EuropeWave Phase 3 program.

According to EuropeWave, the company is advancing the detailed design of the wave energy converter (WEC) hull and the Vernier hybrid machine (VHM), building on previous analyses and test results. The design phase is aimed at finalizing a system capable of withstanding offshore conditions ahead of real-sea deployment.

In mid-February, the final round of tank testing was completed. The tests are expected to validate performance and design assumptions under controlled conditions, with the results set to support final design refinements before moving to full-scale manufacturing.

Manufacturing trials for the VHM started in March, aimed at validating assembly processes, component integration, and material performance, and de-risking the fabrication phase.

In parallel, Mocean Energy has secured a berth reservation for Berth 2 at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, UK, for offshore testing. The reservation is a step toward the full-scale demonstration of the technology, EuropeWave said.

“These milestones demonstrate steady progress toward the realisation of a robust and scalable wave energy solution. Further updates will follow as the project advances through manufacturing and offshore deployment preparations,” EuropeWave said.

In December 2024, Mocean Energy secured £140,000 (around $178,000) of further commercial work and a £1.2 million (around $1.5 million) grant from Wave Energy Scotland (WES) to further develop a novel direct drive generator for wave energy technology.