en.Wedoany.com Reported - CorPower Ocean has announced that its wave energy converter has been awarded a prototype certificate by the independent certification body DNV. The company claims this is a world first in the wave energy sector, marking a significant step toward utility-scale applications.
The certification, issued under the DNV-SE-0120 standard following independent verification, confirms that the system meets DNV requirements in terms of structural strength, reliability, and safety. The certification process spanned seven years, beginning with the establishment of the design basis for the CorPower C4. According to CorPower Ocean, DNV reviewed and accepted the concept development, engineering, structural strength and fatigue analysis, manufacturing, assembly, dry testing, installation, operation and maintenance, as well as the equipment's performance under extreme conditions.
Storm resistance was one of the assessment criteria, with the equipment required to withstand and operate effectively in storm waves of up to 18.5 meters. CorPower stated in a release that the certification establishes "a new international benchmark for the wave energy industry," reducing technical risk and thereby opening the door to project financing and investment.
Patrik Möller, co-founder and CEO of CorPower Ocean, said this is a milestone for both the company and the industry, transforming wave energy from a promising technology into a proven and bankable one. Claudio Bittencourt Ferreira, Project Manager for Renewable Energy Certification at DNV, believes this marks an important stepping stone in the realization of commercial wave energy; he also noted that DNV has supported the industry for over 20 years. Santiago Gil of Santander Alternative Investments added that CorPower Ocean's determination to make wave energy not only scalable but also bankable has been consistently demonstrated throughout its development. This certification validates years of rigorous engineering work, significantly reduces technical risk, and further strengthens the path toward large-scale commercial deployment.
The certification news comes as CorPower Ocean advances its first two industrial wave energy farms in Portugal and Scotland. The HiWave-5 project in Portugal has already been grid-connected at Aguçadoura, with the goal of delivering a wave energy solution competitive with wind and solar by 2030. Viana Wave, an extension of the HiWave-5 installation, will leverage existing infrastructure and ultimately become a 10MW wave energy farm. In Scotland, the Valiant project plans to build the UK's most advanced wave energy farm at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Billia Croo site in Orkney. Funded with €19 million ($22 million) from the EU's Horizon Europe program, the project will operate as a 5MW standalone wave energy farm.
