Eco Wave Power (EWP) has applied for a new international patent (PCT) and a new Israeli patent for an integrated wave and solar system and started the initial testing for the combined solution.
The idea for the combined solution was conceived from interest of several of EWP’s potential clients in having a variety of renewable energy sources as part of their energy mix, but due to space restrictions, there is a limitation on the implementation of large-scale solar farms which often require significant land spaces.
In order to ease the integration of the sources, without waste of any land space, EWP developed a method for connection of the solar panels to the surface of its floaters.
As a result, on the same space, there would occur generation from both renewable energy sources wave energy and solar power.
The company started testing of the combined system in its R&D facility in the Port of Jaffa. Upon successful test results, EWP will install the solar panels on all floaters in the expanded EWP station in Jaffa port and will review the possibility to install the new system also in Gibraltar and in future sites, the company said.
The integration of solar as an additional source will raise the price of EWP’s power station by only up to 3 percent, as it will connect to the same conversion and control systems which are already used for the wave energy generation, whereas the installed capacity of the plant is expected to grow between 3 to 10 percent, which will potentially create faster ROI for the EWP projects.