17 M€ of EU funding for wave power pilot project coordinated by Fortum
Helsinki, 4 May 2015 - The European Commission’s research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 has granted EUR 17 million in funding for the Clean Energy From Ocean Waves (CEFOW) research project that is coordinated by Fortum, which Spinverse helped prepare and coordinate successfully.
The mission of the five-year project is to research and develop the use of the Penguin wave energy converter, developed by the Finnish company Wello, in electricity grid connected ocean conditions. The multi-device test project will be carried out at Wave Hub, the wave power-focussed test centre, located in Cornwall, Great Britain, where Fortum has a leased sea area.
In the project, Finnish wave power technology is being developed and operated in collaboration with British and Swedish experts. The EU has granted EUR 17 million of the project’s total budget of EUR 24.5 million. In addition to Fortum, the joint project consists of Wello Ltd, Mojo Maritime Ltd, Wave Hub Limited, Green Marine (UK) Ltd, Uppsala University, Plymouth University and the University of Exeter.
On a global scale, this project is at the vanguard of wave power research
“Wave power may play an important role in the future as an emissions-free energy production form, and that is why Fortum is participating in the research and development efforts. By this project we are expecting to increase our capabilities and skills in the field of wave power. We believe that the funding from the European Commission and the experienced collaboration partners create excellent conditions for making great strides forward in commercializing Wello’s wave power technology,” says Heli Antila, Chief Technology Officer at Fortum. “On a global scale, this project is at the vanguard of wave power research,” Antila goes on to say.
Further information:
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 655594.
Spinverse - Background information
Spinverse is the Nordic leader in innovation consulting, specialised in driving open innovation ecosystems, EU R&D&I grants and commercialising emerging technologies. Having coordinated over €1 billion in large-scale innovation programs and projects, we have in-depth knowledge of innovation funding instruments and can assist at all stages of the innovation process. We work with Europe’s top R&D investing companies, innovative SMEs and public-private partnerships to offer high-value services built around the funding instruments. www.spinverse.com
Fortum - Background information
Fortum’s purpose is to create energy that improves life for present and future generations. Catering to the versatile needs of our customers, we generate, distribute and sell electricity and heat, and offer related expert services. Our operations focus on the Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia and Poland. In 2014, Fortum’s sales totalled EUR 4.75 billion and comparable operating profit was EUR 1.35 billion. We employ approximately 8,800 people. Fortum’s shares are traded on the Nasdaq Helsinki. www.fortum.com
Media information about Fortum’s wave power development work:
Fortum has been actively involved in wave energy development since 2007 and has tested several different technologies. One of these is the Finnish AW-Energy’s WaveRoller™, which has been successfully tested off the coast of Portugal. In 2013 Fortum signed a cooperation agreement with the French marine technology company DCNS and AW-Energy to jointly develop a 1.5-MW wave power demonstration project in Bretagne, France. The wave power technology chosen for the project was WaveRoller™.
In Sweden, Fortum and Seabased AB are currently cooperating on a 10-megawatt wave power park on the west coast of Sweden, in Sotenäs. It is one of the world’s largest wave-power demonstration projects in terms of output and production is scheduled to start in 2015. The technology being used in Sweden is Seabased’s linear wave power generator, which is anchored to the bottom of the sea.
Fortum signed a leasing agreement in February 2014 with the Wave Hub test facility to test wave power solutions off the coast of Cornwall in Great Britain. The agreement offers Fortum a new opportunity to trial run full-scale wave power devices in ocean conditions.