Brief description of projects involving the Wave Energy Centre. (More information on the subpages. Click the project links) 

MARINET (2011-2015). The aim of this project is to coordinate research and development at all scales (small models through to prototype scales from Laboratory through to Open Sea tests) and to allow access for researchers and developers into facilities which are not available universally in Europe. The linking together of facilities at different scales together with the incorporation of test facilities for components such as power take-off systems, grid integration, moorings, environmental tests will ensure a focusing of activities in this area.

SOWFIA (2010-2012). The SOWFIA project – “Streamlining of Ocean Wave Farms Impact Assessment” aim is to facilitate the development of European wide coordinated, unified and streamlined environmental and socio-economic Impact Assessment (IA) tools for offshore wave energy conversion developments. Wave farm demonstration projects will be studied in each of the collaborating EU nations.

FAME (2010-2012). The FAME (The Future of the Atlantic Marine Environment) project is financed by the EC INTERREG IV programme (2007-2013 Atlantic Area Programme) and its aim is to link the protection of natural values, specifically biodiversity (avifauna) with economic activities at the European Atlantic Ocean. The project has a duration of 39 months.

WAVEPORT (2009-2012). The Waveport project “Demonstration & Deployment of a Commercial Scale Wave Energy Converter with an innovative Real Time Wave by Wave Tuning System” is financed by the EC under the 7FP. The project has a strong component of demonstration centered on best practices in terms of real scale design, installation and operation offshore Santona (Spain) of a 150 kW device of PowerBouy technology owned by the American Ocean Power Technologies company.

SURGE (2009-2011). The European Project SURGE (Simple Underwater Renewable Generation of Electricity), is funded by the EC under FP7 and intends to test and assess the second generation of the Finnish WaveRoller device, near Peniche. After almost a decade of R&D in wave energy and after testing the prototype WaveRoller1 at real scale at EMEM in Scotland and in Portugal, AW-Energy, owner of the technology, will install and test its second prototype in Portuguese seas.  It is a nearshore technology, thus near the coast, to be installed at a depth of 15-20 meters fixed at the sea bottom. It will use the horizontal movement of the waves at low depth to move its vertical wings. The Surge project is one of the few demonstration projects worldwide at real scale that aims to contribute to the maturity of a technology for commercialization. This project, started in 2009, will take process during three years and will be one more important step to attract wave energy technology to Portugal.

ORECCA - (2009-2011). The objectives are to create a framework for knowledge sharing and to develop a research roadmap for activities in the context of offshore renewable energy (RE). In particular, the project will stimulate collaboration in research activities leading towards innovative, cost efficient and environmentally benign offshore RE conversion platforms for wind, wave and other ocean energy resources, for their combined use as well as for the complementary use such as aquaculture and monitoring of the sea environment. The project has a duration of 18 months, involving 30 European institutes and is coordinated by the German Institute Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. Funding scheme: EC FP7 - Coordination and support action.

Aqua-RET2 - (2009-2011). After the Aquaret project, Aqua-RET2 intends to continue the dissemination activities and transfer of technlogy in the sector. Aqua-RET2’s  aims and objectives are 1) to identify the labour market needs of the marine renewable sector and ancillary businesses on a sectoral and geographical basis 2) to select, adapt and further develop existing material from Aqua-RET to meet identified labour market needs 3) to integrate the new innovative training content into the work place by piloting new training programmes from which outputs will be transferred geographically and between sectors to ensure that training is more responsive to changes in labour market needs 4) to facilitate the transfer of skills from ancillary sectors to the marine renewables sector. The project has a duration of 24 months and involves 6 partners. The coordinator of the project is AquaTT. Funding scheme: EU - Leonardo da Vinci - Lifelong Learning Programme.

WAVETRAIN2 – (2008-2012). The wavetrain2 project (www.wavetrain2.eu) is a multinational Initial Training Network (ITN) funded under the FP7-People program, in order to face the wide range of challenges that industrial-scale wave energy implementation faces in the near future, focusing on technical issues, from hydrodynamic and PTO (Power Take-Off) design, to instrumentation issues and energy storage and cost reduction show to be critical for successful deployment. On the other hand, also non-technical “barriers”, typically less tangible difficulties related to legal issues (licensing, conflicts of use, EIA procedures, grid connection, regional differences) and the non-sufficient representation of socio-economic benefits of the sector, will be dealt with, as they are seen as a major obstacle for fast implementation on a European scale.

CORES – Components for Renewable Ocean Energy Systems (2008-2011). EU 7FP funded (RTD program). This project will concentrate on the development of a Toolbox of the wave to wire simulations to be aplied to the OE Buoy Technology, developed by the Irish company Ocean Energy Ltd. A impulse turbine will be constructed within the workplan leaded by the Instituto Superior Técnico.

WEAM – Wave Energy Acoustic Monitoring (2007-2010). This project funded by the Science and Technology Foundation (Fundação de Ciência e Tecnologia) aims to develop an instrumentation network for the assessment of underwater noise produced by wave energy devices and establish a monitorization plan. The institutions responsible for this project are the Wave Energy Centre and the University of the Algarve.

EQUIMAR – (2008-2011) Equitable testing and Evaluation of Marine energy extraction Devices in terms of Performance, Cost and Environmental Impact. EU 7FP funded (STREP program).

WAVEPLAM – WAVe energy PLAnning and Marketing (2007-2010). Project funded by the European Commission (Intelligent Energy Executive Agency program). The purpose of this project is to develop tools and establish the necessary conditions to find solutions for the probable non technological barriers and conditioning factors that may arise with the deployment of large scale wave energy technologies.

Aqua-RET – Aquatic Renewable Energy Technologies (2006-2008). This project funded by the European Commission is related to the development of online e-learning sessions within aquatic renewable energy technologies in order to inform the general public and stimulate companies to the aquatic renewable energy industry.

PRIME/DEMTEC funding for the Renovation and Test of the OWC Pilot Plant in the Pico Island , in the Azores. The WavEC coordinated this project finished in October 2006. Maintenance and monitorization of the Pico Plant continues after the end of the project.

WAVETRAIN RTN (EU FP6 Marie Curie Actions) - In 2004 started the Marie Curie Research Training Network WAVETRAIN, as a consequence of a successful project proposal elaborated by Wave Energy Centre. This network further involves seven elaborated by the Centre. The network further involves seven European universities, one Portuguese public entity and two device developes (AWS and Wave Dragon) and it managed by the Centre. The main deliverables of the project are training of 15 young scientists in the field of wave energy.

CA-OE (EU FP6 funded) - The Wave Energy Centre participates as core-group member in the European Co-ordination actions in Ocean Energy Systems, joining various research institutes and companies involved in wave energy. The main project activities are the organisation of dedicated interactive workshops and short-term personell-exchange periods, as a vehicle to exchange and analyse information for the Ocean Energy Development.

Foz do Douro Breakwater OWC - (2004-2007).

OWC Pico Plant, Azores, Portugal

Wavetrain fellows surfing