Posted on November 20, 2024
Eco Wave Power was approved to install eight wave energy floaters on the piles of an existing concrete wharf structure at the Port of Los Angeles.
Eco Wave Power, a provider of onshore wave energy technology, announced it has received the final Nationwide Permit (NWP) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for its wave energy project at AltaSea’s premises at the Port of Los Angeles.
The project is set to become the first onshore wave energy installation in the United States, Eco Wave Power said. The permit, issued under NWP 52 for Water-Based Renewable Energy Generation Pilot Projects, authorizes Eco Wave Power to install eight wave energy floaters on the piles of an existing concrete wharf structure on the east side of Municipal Pier One.
The system will also include an energy conversion unit, comprised of two 20-foot shipping containers, which will be placed on the wharf deck and connected to the floaters. With the conversion unit already shipped and located on-site, Eco Wave Power plans to complete installation by the end of Q1 2025.
(Credit: Eco Wave Power)
In addition to securing the final permit, this announcement also marks the completion of two key milestones under Eco Wave Power’s agreement with Shell, which is expected to boost the Company’s revenues in Q4, 2024
The agreement between the parties was announced in April 2024, according to which, Eco Wave Power and Shell will collaborate for the development of a wave energy pilot in the Port of Los Angeles. Now, with the permit in place, the parties will enter the execution phase of the project, as per the terms of the agreement.
“We are thrilled to receive this final permit and move one step closer to bringing wave energy to the U.S.,” said Inna Braverman, founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power. “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.”
Eco Wave Power’s system uses so-called floaters to draw energy from incoming waves by converting their rising and falling motion into an electricity-generating process.
In practice, the movement of the floaters compresses and decompresses hydraulic pistons. These transmit a bio-degradable hydraulic fluid into land-located accumulators that build up pressure. This pressure rotates a hydraulic motor, which rotates the generator; electricity is transferred to the grid via an inverter. The fluid, after decompression, flows back into the hydraulic fluid tank, where it is re-used by the pistons, thus creating a closed circular system. The system starts to produce electricity once wave heights reach 0.5 meters. The system’s operation is controlled and monitored by a smart automation system.
