Middle East’s first grid-connected wave energy array goes live

Wave energy developer Eco Wave Power and EDF Renewables have unveiled what is said to be the Middle East’s first grid-connected wave energy power station at Jaffa Port. 

According to Eco Wave Power, the installation, now operational, has begun exporting clean electricity to the national grid under a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Israeli National Electric Company (IEC).

The project was officially inaugurated by government and municipal leaders, including the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, the Minister of Environmental Protection, and the Mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. 

Described as a “pioneering technology” by the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Energy, this system uses Eco Wave Power’s patented floaters, which convert wave motion into electricity through an onshore hydro-motor and generator setup.

“The facility we inaugurated today, which generates electricity using sea waves, was advanced with the support of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Energy and is the first of its kind in Israel,” said Eli Cohen, Israel’s Minister for Energy and Infrastructure. 

“This is another step we are taking to increase energy production from renewable sources, reduce air pollution for the benefit of citizens’ health, and enhance the country’s energy security. We will continue to invest in groundbreaking innovation!”

In late November, Eco Wave Power unveiled preparations to inaugurate Israel’s first wave energy pilot project at Jaffa Port.

The station’s launch marks a stepping stone for Eco Wave Power, which is preparing to deploy additional wave energy projects globally. These include a pilot at AltaSea in Los Angeles in collaboration with Shell MRE, a project on Taiwan’s East Coast, and a 1 MW-scale initiative in Porto, Portugal.

“Wave energy generation is a big challenge; the energy of the waves is beyond what the usual human construction can sustain. This is why we like the idea of Eco Wave Power. In Eco Wave Power’s technology, the complex part is on the ground, and the floaters are nearshore. This is simple,” said Ayalon Vaniche, CEO of EDF Renewables.

Just recently, Eco Wave Power 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.

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.