Marine Power Systems, WavEC to deliver floating wind project in Portugal

Offshore staff

SWANSEA, Wales — Marine Power Systems has joined forces with WavEC to deploy its modular floating offshore wind platform technology in the north region of Portugal.

This follows the recent news that Marine Power Systems is to demonstrate a commercial scale array at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland.

The Portuguese government has a target of 10 GW of capacity by 2030.

Furthermore, according to the Global Wind Energy Council, Ocean Renewable Energy Action Coalition, and the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program, a staggering 90% of the 131 GW offshore wind potential identified in Portugal is dependent on floating foundations as opposed to fixed bottom turbines.

WavEC is a co-founder of the OceanACT consortium, which intends to generate an institution aimed at promoting offshore testing infrastructures in Portugal for blue economy technologies. WavEC has grown to become a center of excellence in offshore renewable energy and is one of the co-managers of the Aguçadoura test site in the north region of Portugal.

WavEC will support Marine Power Systems throughout the licensing and consenting process as well as the environmental impact assessment and performance monitoring in Portugal.

Under the memorandum of understanding, Marine Power Systems and WavEC intend to lay the foundations for a long-term relationship that identifies opportunities for the implementation of Marine Power System’s technology in Portuguese waters, including at the future Technological Free Zone at Viana do Castelo, and other potential sites. Furthermore, this collaboration will generate a two-way bridge for sharing data and optimizing the deployment of MPS technology in Portuguese waters.

Technological Free Zones provide a pre-consented area with grid connection where renewable energy technology can be more easily deployed and tested without incurring all the normal regulatory processes.

10.12.2022