Seaturns setting the stage for full-scale production with start of wave energy prototype testing

Business Developments & Projects

January 19, 2024, by Zerina Maksumic

After validating its technology in European wave basins at a small scale, French start-up Seaturns is now progressing to the next stage by starting tests on a 1:4-scale prototype at the Ste Anne du Portzic site in Brittany, France.

Seaturn installed the demonstrator at the Ifremer test site in October 2023, in Sainte-Anne du Portzic, close to Brest.

The wave energy power generation solution is, according to Seaturns, characterized by its innovative mooring and simple design, making it robust. The technology being developed uses an internal water pendulum inside a cylindrical floater.

Following a series of technical and economic studies, together with numerous tests in European wave basins at the universities of Aalborg, Porto, Santander, and École Centrale de Nantes, the next step for the wave energy project is underway.

Now, tests are being launched on a 1:4-scale prototype at the Ste Anne du Porzic site. This phase is essential for verifying the prototype’s performance and reliability in a real marine environment, setting the stage for moving toward full-scale production.

The testing period is set to last about ten months, ending in June 2024. This phase is aimed at preparing for the development of a full-scale design with a 200 kW power rating.

Once developed, the full-scale device is expected to be 9-12 meters long, spanning six meters in diameter. It will be suitable for multiple applications, including electricity generation, desalination, hydrogen production, and other uses in offshore energy and tourism industries.

Managed by Ifremer, the Sainte-Anne du Portzic test site accommodates various intermediate-scale prototypes like floating wind turbines (Eolink, Windquest) and wave energy converters (PH4S, Dikwe), including those already tested in tanks.