The Basque technology firm IDOM has started testing a new air turbine design at the Mutriku wave power plant as part of the activities of the EuropeWave project.
According to the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP), the testing is being carried out in the experimental area of the Mutriku facility. Operated by BiMEP, the facility has generated more than 3.2 GWh of marine renewable energy to date.
EuropeWave is a European Commission-backed initiative led by the Basque Energy Agency and Wave Energy Scotland (WES). It supports wave energy technology development through a pre-commercial procurement program targeting challenging offshore environments.
The project integrates a pre-commercial procurement (PCP) approach with the International Energy Agency’s “stage-gate” process to increase value for public funding and speed up wave energy technology development.
Led by WES and Ente Vasco de la Energia (EVE), EuropeWave includes nearly €20 million in funding to support the sector.
The grid-connected Mutriku wave power plant is integrated into the harbour breakwater and features 16 air chambers. Each chamber measures 4.5 meters wide, 3.1 meters deep, and 10 meters high (above the Lowest Astronomical Tide). Also, each one includes a 0.75 meter diameter orifice connected to a Wells turbine and an 18.5 kW generator, providing a total installed capacity of 296 kW.
In December 2024, IDOM unveiled plans to deploy its wave energy prototype offshore at BiMEP during summer 2025 as part of Phase 3 of the EuropeWave project.