Irish ocean energy company, Wavebob, and Spanish technology company, Abengoa, have formed a new research collaboration which will see the two companies jointly working on the research, development and commercialisation of wave energy systems. The collaboration, which was secured with the support of Enterprise Ireland’s Spanish office, is to take place over a period of at least six years to rapidly complete an R&D agenda to meet the growing commercial wave energy opportunities in Europe and the US.
Wavebob’s wave energy convertor, which harnesses the immense power of the ocean to produce clean, low cost electricity, is considered to be one of the world’s leading wave energy technologies. At full scale, the device will be capable of producing in excess of one megawatt of energy with a 100-unit wave farm providing power for more than 30,000 homes.
Abengoa is an international company that applies innovative technology solutions to sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, generating electricity from the sun, producing biofuels, desalinating sea water and recycling industrial waste.
“With Abengoa’s position as a leading energy technology developer, this collaboration provides immense expertise and global reach to Wavebob,” says Andrew Parish, chief executive of Wavebob. “Abengoa truly understands the challenges of developing advanced energy technology and converting that challenge to a financial opportunity. Together we share the ambition to lead the world in the commercial exploitation of the immense, and as yet untapped, ocean energy resource.”