The certification process has lasted seven years, during which DNV experts have reviewed every phase: from conceptual design to open-sea testing, including manufacturing, assembly, and performance under extreme conditions. According to Patrik Möller, CEO of CorPower Ocean, This recognition transforms wave energy from a promise into a viable solution for investorsThe news comes at a time when Europe is seeking to diversify its clean energy sources and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels.
A game-changing milestone
Until now, wave energy was considered a promising technology but with too many technical and financial risks. DNV certification, considered the gold standard in the marine energy sector, changes that perception. Claudio Bittencourt Ferreira, certification project manager at DNV, has pointed out that The issuance of the first certificate for a wave energy converter marks an important step towards commercial consolidation from this renewable source. The certification covers aspects such as structural fatigue, storm resistance, and the reliability of the electrical system—key elements for banks and investment funds to be encouraged to back projects.
The Swedish company has already announced its plans for the coming years: to install the first retail parks, which they call CorPacks, off the coasts of Portugal and Scotland. It is expected that The first wave energy plants with dozens of buoys will begin operating between 2027 and 2029.capable of generating hundreds of megawatts and supplying clean electricity constantly, something that wind and solar power cannot guarantee on their own.
How the CorPower C4 device works
The CorPower C4 is a teardrop-shaped buoy, 9 meters in diameter, 18 meters high, and weighing approximately 100 tons. It is anchored to the seabed by a tensioned cable. When a wave pushes the buoy upward, the cable pulls it downward with the same force, generating a back-and-forth motion that powers a generator. The electricity produced is sent to shore via underwater cables. The secret to its efficiency lies in the WaveSpring systema mechanism that acts like a smart dock: on calm sea days, it amplifies the wave motion up to three times the energy captured; however, during storms, it relaxes to allow waves to pass without causing damage.
This design, inspired by the workings of the human heart, has proven its resilience in real-world conditions. The prototype that has been operating since 2023 off Aguçadoura (Portugal) has survived waves of up to 18,5 meters During the Domingos storm in November 2023, a historic record for the region according to the Portuguese Hydrographic Institute, CorPower achieved this remarkable ability to withstand extreme conditions without structural damage. This capacity was one of the factors that allowed CorPower to obtain certification.
Testing in Portugal and business plans
The Portuguese prototype has operated autonomously for three deployment cycles, exporting electricity to the national grid and demonstrating the technology's reliability. Santiago Gil, head of venture capital at Santander Alternative Investments, highlighted that The certification validates years of rigorous engineering work and significantly reduces technological risk.This facilitates the arrival of institutional funding. CorPower Ocean plans to group the buoys into parks of dozens of units, known as CorPacks, which could generate hundreds of megawatts and supply hundreds of thousands of homes.
The Swedish company is now moving forward with its first two industrial projects: one in Portugal, near the area where the prototype is already operating, and another in Scotland, in the waters of the North Atlantic. Wave energy is thus emerging as the third major renewable energy source.complementing wind and solar power to provide clean electricity 24 hours a day. Although there is still a way to go, the DNV certification has given a definitive boost to a renewable marine technology who has been waiting for his opportunity for more than half a century.
With this milestone, wave energy is no longer just a laboratory prospect but a real and financially viable option. The coming years will be crucial to see if the commercial wave energy parks in Portugal and Scotland can scale up the technology and demonstrate that the ocean can be a stable and clean source of electricity, capable of competing with established renewable energy sources.
