CorPower Ocean Expands Portugal VianaWave Wave Energy Project to 15MW

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 21, CorPower Ocean disclosed that it is advancing the next phase of deployment for the VianaWave wave energy project in northern Portugal, with the latest planned installed capacity of 15MW, comprising 45 wave energy converters, and an estimated annual power generation of approximately 45GWh. On the same day, Portugal's Deputy Minister of Energy Jean Barroca visited CorPower Ocean's operations base in Viana do Castelo and toured the composite manufacturing unit, assembly and testing hall, and the wave energy plant control center.

VianaWave will be built offshore in northern Portugal and is the core project for CorPower Ocean's transition from single-unit demonstration to array-based wave energy plants. The company's previously disclosed project plan was 10MW, comprising 30 wave energy converters, with an estimated annual power generation of approximately 30GWh, and had received €40 million in support from the EU Innovation Fund. CorPower Ocean's latest disclosure on September 21 has increased the next-phase scale to 15MW and adjusted the number of devices to 45.

The project builds on the HiWave-5 demonstration project. Since 2023, CorPower Ocean has been operating the C4 wave energy converter offshore of Aguçadoura, Portugal. The device has achieved grid-connected power generation and completed offshore operational verification under North Atlantic wind and wave conditions exceeding 18 meters. The next phase of HiWave-5 also includes the deployment of 3 C5 wave energy devices, with the entire demonstration system planned at 1.2MW. The company plans to advance DNV type certification and industrialization preparation through this phase.

Regarding project development conditions, CorPower Ocean has completed geophysical surveys of approximately 340 hectares of seabed in the area where VianaWave is located. Portugal's Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services previously granted the project a private use research permit for the marine area, covering the relevant renewable energy test zone, and allowing intrusive geological surveys to continue once conditions are met. The project will also use CorPower Ocean's CorPack array solution, combining multiple wave energy converters into a modular power plant through a subsea power collection system.

CorPower Ocean's previously disclosed VianaWave development plan was to complete the final investment decision in 2027, with operation expected around 2029 to 2030. The latest version on September 21 did not disclose whether the total investment, final investment decision timing, and commissioning schedule will be adjusted in tandem following the expansion to 15MW. The company estimates that approximately 75% of the project's full lifecycle expenditure will be generated within Portugal, covering equipment manufacturing, offshore construction, engineering services, installation, and long-term operations and maintenance.