Israeli wave power developer Eco Wave Power (EWP) has formed a strategic collaboration with engineering group Painhas for technical support in the run-up to licensing of a 20MW array in the ocean port of Porto, Portugal.
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Painhas, which provides engineering and construction, operation and maintenance services for the energy sector in Europe, will play an “integral part” in the technical support needed to move the project into construction, following EWP’s tests of its breakwater-connected device in Gilbratar, the British overseas territory on the tip of the Iberbian peninsula.
Licensing is expected to be completed in 2021, EWP told Recharge, with a concession agreement reentlyy inked with the port authority of Leixões, APDL, to build the array.
“The company has a mission of taking an active part in the implementation of innovative renewable energy sources in Portugal ,” said Helena Painhas, member of the Painhas board.
“In the past, we have provided our engineering and construction services to the wind, solar and hydro industries, and we believe that now it is the right time to expand to the promising wave energy sector, through our collaboration with EWP”
EWP CEO Inna Braverman said “We are very pleased to announce our strategic collaboration with Painhas, which is a top tier expert in the energy sector in Portugal. We believe that such collaboration will shorten our licensing procedures and enable us to reach the next step of our Portugal project.”
Once licensing is obtained, the parties will work towards a “continued collaboration” for the execution of the project, she added.
Portugal has emerged as a pioneer in sea-based renewable energy projects, with an early wave power device, the Pelamis P1, tested off its coast in the 2010s, and, more recently, a next-generation design being developed by Finland’s AW-Energy installed off Peniche. Continental Europe’s first floating wind array, WindFloat Atlantic, was also deployed off the country.
