Video: OPERA innovates to cut wave energy costs

Basque energy agency, Ente Vasco de la Energia (EVE), has released a video that features the footage of the developments undertaken under the OPERA wave energy projects to date.

Project OPERA, Open Sea Wave Operating Experience to Reduce Energy Cost, coordinated by Tecnalia and Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE), received over €5.7 million through the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 program to develop innovative technology solutions with the ultimate aim of reducing costs of wave energy generation by 50%.

As part of the project, a point absorber OWC wave energy converter Marmok-A5 device, developed by the Oceantec Energías Marinas, was deployed at Bimep test site in October 2016 for a 2-year testing campaign.

The main objectives of OPERA project are to collect, stream and publish 2 years of open-sea operating data of both a floating WEC, and a shoreline wave power plant.

Also, the project aims to increase OWC power production 50% and improve reliability, advance standards to reduce business risk and give access to lower cost capital, and to reduce uncertainty, frequency, risk and cost of offshore operations, among other targets.

The project involves the collaboration between 12-member international consortium.