Horizon 2020 to fund ocean energy project
The European Commission has granted €17m in funding for the Clean Energy From Ocean Waves (CEFOW) research project, co-ordinated by energy firm Fortum.
The mission of the five-year project is to research and develop the use of the Penguin wave energy converter, developed by the Finnish company Wello, in electricity grid connected ocean conditions. The multi-device test project will be carried out at Wave Hub, the wave power-focused test centre, located in Cornwall, UK, where Fortum has a leased sea area.
Finnish wave power technology is being developed and operated in collaboration with UK and Swedish experts. The EU has granted €17m of the project’s total budget of €24.5m. The joint project consists of Fortum, Wello, Mojo Maritime, Wave Hub, Green Marine, Uppsala University, Plymouth University and the University of Exeter.
“Wave power may play an important role in the future as an emissions-free energy production form, and that is why Fortum is participating in the research and development efforts. With this project, we are expecting to increase our capabilities and skills in the field of wave power. We believe that the funding from the European Commission and the experienced collaboration partners create excellent conditions for making great strides forward in commercialising Wello’s wave power technology,” said Heli Antila, chief technology officer at Fortum. “On a global scale, this project is at the vanguard of wave power research.”
