WaveX taps Arup to collaborate on wave energy projects

London-headquartered firm Arup has joined forces with Australian wave energy firm WaveX to accelerate the development of the D-Spar wave-powered generator technology. The collaboration follows the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to advance wave energy projects and optimize the D-Spar system.

Under the agreements, Arup said that it will assist in designing the D-Spar system, a self-reacting wave energy converter (WEC) with no underwater moving parts. The initial phase will focus on electrical design and integrating a power transfer unit in collaboration with Trident Energy. 

Simultaneously, a separate workstream will evaluate the potential application of Arup’s shared mooring system in a large-scale D-Spar project planned for Western Australia’s south coast.

According to Arup, WaveX aims to deploy the D-Spar technology in Western Australia in 2025, leveraging a new wave energy facility led by the University of Western Australia. The collaboration is expected to contribute to the Ocean Energy Systems roadmap goal of 300 GW in global wave and tidal energy capacity by 2050.

Simon Renwick, CEO of WaveX, said: “This collaboration with Arup enables us to enhance our D-Spar system with Arup’s best-in-class electrical design and potential game-changing shared mooring design, making the D-Spar a robust solution for large-scale global wave energy projects.”

WaveX’s D-Spar is a floating steel buoy designed to convert ocean wave motion into electricity for industrial and utility-scale use. The platform generates power from wave energy, offering a renewable source of electricity for various applications.

The D-Spar system is said to be a solution for intermittent renewable generation, providing stable power when wind and solar output drop while reducing reliance on grid-scale batteries. Arup and WaveX plan to explore further opportunities for wave energy development in Australia, the UK, and other coastal regions.

Damon Sunderland, Australasia Offshore Wind Lead at Arup, added: “Our collaboration with WaveX provides an opportunity to develop an innovative and cost-effective electrical topology that aligns with the WaveX vision for harnessing wave energy. We see great potential combined with the D-Spar and are excited to carry out this work with WaveX.”

Just recently, WaveX was seeking a SEED investment round to fund the next development phase, aiming to scale up its wave energy technology.

In January, WaveX signed a heads of agreement with UK-based Trident Energy to collaborate on advancing wave energy systems. The partnership is said to focus on integrating Trident’s PowerPod linear generators into WaveX’s D-Spar WEC to enhance energy capture and efficiency.