The Province of Buenos Aires has activated the deployment of country's first wave energy device, a pilot test that will harness the power of waves to produce electricity under real operating conditions.
The plan, promoted by the provincial energy department, includes a facility on the North Breakwater of Mar del Plata man and is committed to local technology and labor, with a testing and measurement approach before any large-scale leap.
What will be installed and where
The project will materialize with a full-size prototype located in the North breakwater of the Mar del Plata port, designed to operate in a port environment and validate its response to Atlantic conditions.
Manufactured entirely in the territory of Buenos Aires, the wave energy team aspires to a power of up to 30 kW, sufficient to cover the electrical needs of the port area where it will be located.
Who is driving the project and why now?
The initiative is coordinated by Undersecretariat of Energy of Buenos Aires along with the National Technological University (UTN), the PROINGED and the FREBA, within the framework of an agreement that combines engineering, financing and technical execution.
As the Undersecretary of Energy explained, Gaston GhioniThe Province formalized a second stage of financing for 130.000 dollars to bring the prototype to full scale, after a previous phase in which the UTN worked with a 1:10 model and laboratory tests.
The official noted that, although the The nation withdrew its contribution In this vein, the provincial government resolved to continue due to its strategic value for the energy transition and technological development with a local stamp, a movement that has already sparked interest from national and international companies.
How wave energy technology works
The system is based on a set buoy-arm that oscillates with the waves; this back-and-forth motion is converted into rotary motion and, subsequently, into electrical energy through a mechanical train and generator adapted to the sea's regime.
Since it does not require fuel or combustion processes, wave energy is a source clean and renewable, with no direct greenhouse gas emissions and low operational impact, making it an interesting complement for ports and coasts.
Pilot schedule and phases
Preliminary work is already underway and, if the deadlines are met, the Installation work could begin in the summerThe testing and measurement campaign will extend throughout 12 months to cover different wave conditions.
The roadmap includes five stages: design, manufacturing, testing, installation and commissioning, with specific technical monitoring of each milestone to ensure its replicability.
The goal of this phase is not mass production, but validate materials, performance and behavior of the whole facing the movement of the sea, as an open-air laboratory with real-time data.
Scaling and potential of the technology
If the pilot program confirms expectations, a modular scaling approach is planned: with 100 teams (200 buoys) Once operational, it could supply approximately 20.000 people or approximately 5.000 homesalways subject to park design, site and wave regime.
In addition to adding a renewable energy source to the system, the project promotes local technological knowledge and creates industrial opportunities for the naval and metalworking sectors of the province.
A context that drives the initiative
Within a framework of adjustment of energy public works At the national level, the Province maintains that it has assumed the continuity of strategic projects in order not to halt key investments in infrastructure and applied innovation in the sector.
Beyond that context, this first experience in Mar del Plata aims to generate technical evidence that guides future investment and diversification decisions of the matrix, in collaboration with universities, organizations and interested companies.
With a locally made, a pilot light of up to 30 kW and a test plan After 12 months at the North Breakwater, Buenos Aires takes a measured but ambitious step: testing the country's first wave energy device to evaluate its real feasibility and its growth potential.
