Leading wave energy company Eco Wave Power has officially been given the green light to launch its cutting-edge onshore wave technology in the United States, marking a milestone in clean energy development for both the company and the country.
According to Electrek, Eco Wave Power recently obtained the last permit necessary to install its wave energy system from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The trial wave energy project is unprecedented in the U.S. and will be located at the AltaSea Ocean Institute in the Port of Los Angeles.
Eco Wave has already delivered an energy conversion unit to the campus and can now move forward with installing the 100-kilowatt station after securing the nationwide permit, which authorizes Eco Wave to deploy eight wave energy floaters on sections of a concrete pier. In addition, the system includes the energy conversion unit, which consists of two 20-foot shipping containers. Since the latter portion is already at the wharf, the last step is attaching it to the floaters, per an Eco Wave summary of the project.
As Electrek explained, the purpose of Eco Wave's floaters is to transform the natural motion of waves into electricity. According to the company, the wave energy system is controlled and supervised by automated technology and is able to generate electricity from wave heights of about 1.6 feet. During intense storms, the floaters automatically rise above the waves until the water subsides to a safe operating level.
Now that the final permit has been secured, Eco Wave aims to complete the first-of-its-kind wave energy project in the U.S. by the beginning of 2025. Shell, which agreed to team up with Eco Wave on the project in April 2024, will now work with the company on the execution phase of the technology.
"We are thrilled to receive this final permit and move one step closer to bringing wave energy to the U.S.," CEO of Eco Wave Power Inna Braverman said in a statement. "This project represents not only a technological breakthrough but also a crucial step in advancing the global transition to renewable energy. We are deeply grateful for the support of AltaSea, the Port of Los Angeles, Shell MRE, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as we work to make wave energy a key part of the sustainable energy landscape."
While wave energy technology is still in the early development phase, it has massive potential to unlock vast amounts of renewable energy and provide a stable electricity source. As Eco Wave reported, the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory projects that wave energy could produce enough electricity to power around 130 million homes.
As the technology expands, it could contribute to lowering electricity prices and help to diversify our clean energy mix. In addition, since wave energy doesn't produce the pollution of dirty fuel sources such as oil and gas, harnessing its power will ensure a healthier, cleaner future for people and the planet.
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