Eco Wave Power gears up for first US onshore wave energy pilot installation

Eco Wave Power has received the final Nationwide Permit (NWP) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its wave energy pilot project at the Port of Los Angeles, marking a step toward the first U.S. onshore wave energy installation.

According to Eco Wave Power, the permit, granted under NWP 52 for Water-Based Renewable Energy Generation Pilot Projects, allows the company to install eight wave energy floaters on the existing concrete wharf structure on the east side of Municipal Pier One.

The system will also include an energy conversion unit, housed in two 20-foot (around six meters) shipping containers, which is already on-site and set for installation by the end of Q1 2025.

This project is part of Eco Wave Power’s collaboration with Shell International Exploration and Production. The agreement, unveiled in April, aims to bring wave energy technology to the Port of Los Angeles. With the final permit in hand, the companies will now transition into the project’s execution phase, the company noted.

“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.”

The conversion unit, previously shipped to the Port of Los Angeles, will integrate with the floaters to convert wave motion into clean energy. This aligns with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) projections, which estimate wave energy’s potential to generate over 1,400 TWh annually, enough to power 130 million homes.

The company previously carried out a three-month feasibility study to identify the top locations for commercial onshore wave energy stations across the U.S. coastline. 

In early 2022, Eco Wave Power entered into a collaboration agreement with AltaSea and began relocating its energy conversion unit from Gibraltar to AltaSea’s campus at the Port of Los Angeles. The pilot station was deployed to the Port of Los Angeles back in December 2022. 

In September 2024, Eco Wave Power received the green light from the Port of Los Angeles for the engineering plans of the wave energy project, developed in partnership with Shell, alongside other required documentation.