The floaters were delivered and are being installed in accordance with the collaboration agreement between EWP-EDF One Ltd. and Lesico Ltd. (“Lesico”). The project’s next steps are the installation of all 10 floater units, a test run in real conditions and the official connection of the power station to the grid. The system functionality and capacity tests are expected to be conducted by the end of the second quarter of this year.
“The installation of the first floater is a significant progress toward the first grid-connected wave energy array installation in Israel” stated Inna Braverman, Chief Executive Officer of Eco Wave Power. “Preparation for the installation of all remaining floaters on the external side of the Jaffa Port breakwater is in advanced stages and we are relishing over the prospect of being operative soon in the Mediterranean waves.”
The installation of the floaters is all made from the land side, as opposed to the traditional use of expensive ships and divers for equipment installation in offshore wave energy installations. This further emphasizes the simplicity of the onshore nature in the work programming of Eco Wave Power’s floaters shipment and installation technology.
“Our goal is to generate electricity during the third quarter of this year,” added Braverman. “This is a key milestone in the overall development of the Eco Wave Power technology, and we believe that the results are expected to enable us to take important steps toward the commercial rollout of our pioneering technology.”
When completed, the EWP-EDF One wave energy project will include 10 floaters connected to one conversion unit, which is already installed onsite. The EWP-EDF One conversion unit is located on land, similar to a normal power station, which enables easy access for operation and maintenance. This highlights the significant advantages of the Eco Wave Power’s onshore technology in comparison to offshore solutions.
The floaters and supporting structures were constructed and are being installed in Israel by Lesico, which has more than 50 years of experience in providing engineering, construction, operation and maintenance services for infrastructure projects, while conducting research and development for clean-tech technologies.
