Wave energy project now sending clean electricity to Israel’s electrical grid

Project & Tenders

January 3, 2024, by Nadja Skopljak

Swedish-Israeli wave energy developer Eco Wave Power has commenced sending clean electricity from its EWP-EDF One project to the Israeli National Electrical grid.

Eco Wave Power has recently finalized the construction of the EWP-EDF One project in the Port of Jaffa which has a 100 KW installed capacity and is comprised of 10 floaters..

The project was co-funded by EDF Renewable IL, which owns 50% of the project, and by the Israeli Ministry of Energy.

In August 2023, the power station was officially connected to the Israeli national electrical grid, marking the first time that electricity produced by the power of the waves was sent to the Israeli national electrical grid.

Currently, the engineering team is performing calibration of the automation system of the power plant and is testing the durability and operation of the equipment.

During a recent storm, Eco Wave Power said its engineering team tested the operation of the power station in waves up to 3.5 meters and no damage occurred to any of the floater’s mechanisms during the storm. In addition, during the first set of tests, the power station was able to reach peak energy of around 32.4 KW that was sent to the grid and a stable average energy output of around 10 KW per hour.

“These results are encouraging for the first phase of testing, and we are expecting to see a significant increase in production by the end of the testing phase,” Eco Wave Power said.

The next project the company is planning to launch will be in the Port of Los Angeles, where Eco Wave Power currently has a fully assembled energy conversion unit and one floater mechanism.

Recently, the company finalized the civil engineering design for the installation of the floaters to the marine structure in the Port of LA, in collaboration with KPFF, a California-based civil engineering firm, which officially approved the safety of Eco Wave Power’s design.

The detailed design and KPFF’s approval were already submitted to the Port of LA, and Eco Wave Power is now pending the final necessary licenses from the Port of Los Angeles and the Army Corps of Engineers. Once received, Eco Wave Power will produce seven additional floater mechanisms and immediately proceed to installation.

“The project in the Port of LA will be our first official penetration to the U.S. market, which we view as an extremely strategic market for Eco Wave Power, especially given the fact that according to the United States Energy Information Administration, wave energy can supply up to 66% of all the United States Energy needs, and also given the fact that in the beginning of October 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed California Senate Bill 605 into law – a historic moment for wave energy in America,” said Inna Braverman, Founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power.

“The legislation directs the California Energy Commission to evaluate the feasibility of wave and tidal energy in California, including the costs and benefits of implementing the technology along the state’s coastline.”