Swedish developer seeks backing to scale wave, wind, and solar hybrid technology (Video)

Swedish renewable energy firm Novige, which stands behind the hybrid wave, wind, and solar converter NoviOcean, is on the lookout for funding to scale its operations and integrate the technology into offshore wind farms.

After securing the SEK 1 million (around $99,210) Startup4Climate award for the power plant in February, NoviOcean is now focused on expanding the hybrid solution, which combines wave and wind power, as well as offshore solar photovoltaics (PV).

NoviOcean said it aims to co-locate the wave power plants alongside offshore wind farms to increase overall energy output while sharing infrastructure costs, ultimately making the solution more economically viable.

“Our NoviOcean machine maximizes renewable energy by combining wave, wind, and solar power in a single solution, ensuring energy generation even when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Each unit can power over 1,000 households a day!” said Jan Skjoldhammer, CEO of NoviOcean, in a social media post. 

The Swedish company is now seeking €12 million to advance the technology readiness level (TRL) of the NoviOcean device to full-scale production. The company said it plans to attract investors and partners interested in pioneering a scalable hybrid renewable energy system, offering potential financial returns alongside the device’s environmental benefits.

According to NoviOcean, 15 wave power plants can be placed on a one-square-kilometer area, generating a total of 15 MW of electricity. When combined with offshore wind turbines, typically offering an energy density of 10 MW per square kilometer, the total output can reach up to 25 MW. This co-location approach allows for shared use of sea space and subsea cables to transport electricity to shore, enhancing cost efficiency.

“In the wave power plant itself, water is pumped in a circular flow in the cylinder. It actually works on the principle of an old garden pump. When the raft, which lifts with up to 600 tons, goes up, the water is also pumped up,” noted Skjoldhammer.

“When the water has risen, it goes to a pelton turbine with up to 300 km/h and 800 liters per second. On the same axle is the generator that converts the kinetic energy into electricity. The components of the wave power plant are based simply on a raft, a garden pump and an upside-down hydropower plant, but of course we also have innovative technology to make this work optimally and the technology is patented in 20 countries.”

Novige has been developing wave power technology for several years and has tested the technology in wave pools in the UK and France. A mini replica was tested for 24 months at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, outside Lidingö, in Stockholm. 

“It is a miniature copy of the wave power plant, with solar panels on the top, and is only six meters long, but lifts about one ton. Here we see that the technology works at sea, as we have seen and validated in wave pools and in test rigs,” added Skjoldhammer.

The full-sized NoviOcean wave power plant is 38 meters long and includes six vertical wind turbines that generate 300 kW of power, alongside solar panels contributing an additional 50 to 80 kW, said NoviOcean. Combined, the plant has a total output of around 1 MW, with an estimated capacity factor of 40%. 

With 100 units deployed, Novige said it expects to achieve a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE). NoviOcean’s setup which is described to be “the only triple wave-wind-solar hybrid” shares the same structure, moorings, and subsea cables, simplifying infrastructure and reducing overall costs. 

The system is said to be designed to operate for over 40 years. In addition, NoviOcean suggests a 20-year delivery priority for larger partners who join early.

Previously, the Swedish company primarily focused on developing a wave energy device, with the latest update being about the deployment of its wave power plant offshore Stockholm for further testing, in March 2022. These tests evaluated the durability, upgraded control systems, output, moorings, and remote-control capabilities of the device