Geophysical survey clears way for 10 MW wave energy project in Portugal

Swedish wave energy developer CorPower Ocean has completed a geophysical survey offshore Aguçadoura, northern Portugal, which supports the demonstration of its C5 wave energy technology and prepares the groundwork for the planned 10 MW project.

The Portuguese Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM) granted CorPower Ocean a Research TUPEM permit covering the entire PAER (Pilot Zone for Renewable Energy) area, facilitating prospecting surveys.

According to CorPower Ocean, the authorization allows both the completed geophysical survey and, if conditions are suitable, a follow-up geotechnical campaign.

Survey operations spanned about 340 hectares, including the HiWave-5 site, the proposed subsea cable route, and the wider PAER zone earmarked for the 10 MW VianaWave project. 

Spanish firm TechnoAmbiente carried out the fieldwork, with interpretation conducted by the UK-based Ternan Energy. INESCTEC, Portugal’s Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, supplied the research vessel.

The survey aimed to identify suitable sediment layers and obstacles, such as boulders, to enable deployment of CorPower’s UMACK vibro-installed anchor, which requires a 25-30 meter sediment layer below the seabed.

Technologies applied included multi-beam sonar with backscatter, side-scan sonar with magnetometry, and high-resolution seismic reflection with sub-bottom profiling, Corpower Ocean noted. The methods delivered data on seabed morphology, sediment composition, and sub-seafloor stratigraphy, supporting anchor installation assessments and subsea cable routing. Results are said to guide detailed design work and support risk mitigation.

“Completing this geophysical survey is a major achievement for our team and an essential step toward de-risking the project site to unlock large-scale wave energy in Portugal,” said Matt Dickson, Head of Projects at CorPower Ocean. 

“The data collected will not only validate the conditions required for our UMACK anchors and subsea infrastructure but also provide the foundation for both the HiWave-5 demonstrator and the upcoming VianaWave array. It’s a pivotal milestone as we continue scaling this technology towards commercial readiness.”

The VianaWave project supports Portugal’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) target of 200 MW of installed wave energy capacity by 2030. It is expected to use a CorPack of 30 Wave Energy Converters (WECs), generating about 30 GWh annually, enough to power 7,500 homes.

“We are proud to be working closely with Portuguese authorities, industry partners, and the local community to bring forward new clean energy solutions. Wave energy represents a huge opportunity for Portugal, and projects like HiWave-5 and VianaWave can play a key role in building a more sustainable and resilient energy system,” added Marine Operations Coordinator at CorPower Ocean, Nikla Schmidt. 

Operations are said to be scheduled to start in 2028/2029, following CorPower’s HiWave-5 demonstrator program.

UMACK anchor technology, developed by a European consortium led by CorPower, has demonstrated 3-5 times the holding capacity of traditional pile-type anchors. According to CorPower, the system is designed to lower costs and carbon impacts compared to monopile and gravity foundations, and can be applied to wave energy, floating offshore wind, and aquaculture.

In July, CorPower Ocean secured a €40 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund to support the development of VianaWave, a 10 MW pre-commercial wave energy project planned off northern Portugal.