Dutch wave energy company gets subsidy for large-scale technology testing

Dutch Wave Power, a company developing technology to convert energy from waves at sea into electrical energy or hydrogen, has received a subsidy of over €99,000 for large-scale testing and demonstration of its technology in the North Sea offshore Scheveningen.

The subsidy from the Wadden fund (Waddenfonds) is co-financing of the Offshore For Sure (O4S) project, in which 15 partners from Flanders and the Netherlands participate to accelerate the energy transition at sea.

Dutch Waver Power generates electricity with a cylindrical float that lies at sea level. The waves moving up and down cause the float to rotate and the rotation is converted into electricity by a generator built into the float. 

Research is underway at a test location near Scheveningen into how much energy the system generates from wave action in practice and what the technology does in difficult weather conditions. The security of supply, the ecological effects and the affordability of the technology are also examined.

The test is expected to provide insight into the market maturity and the chances of further rollout of the technology.

The Wadden Islands, including Vlieland, Ameland, Schiermonnikoog and Texel, have previously signed a declaration of intent in which they indicate that if the project is successful, they will consider using the Dutch Wave Power technology for their energy supply.

The intended location for this is the North Sea coastal zone above the islands.