Irish Wavebob to collaborate with Spanish Abengoa


23 Mar 2011

Irish ocean wave power company Wavebob and Spanish technology company Abengoa will collaborate on a new project, working on the research, development and commercialisation of wave energy systems, the companies announced.

Enterprise Ireland’s Spanish office helped secure the collaboration, which was announced yesterday during the official visit by President of Ireland Mary McAleese to Spain.

The companies said the collaboration will take place over at least a six-year period as they try to meet the growing commercial wave energy opportunities in Europe and the US. The companies will collaborate on research, technological development and economic assessment of wave energy locations globally.

Wavebob’s unique wave-energy convertor, which harnesses ocean power to produce clean, low-cost electricity, is considered to be one of the world’s leading wave-energy technologies. At full scale, the device will be able to produce in excess of 1 megawatt of energy with a 100-unit wave farm providing power for more than 30,000 homes.

Seville-headquartered Abengoa is an international company that employs innovative technology solutions to create sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, which helps generate electricity from the sun, produces biofuels, recycles industrial waste and desalinates sea water.

“With Abengoa’s position as a leading energy technology developer, this collaboration provides immense expertise and global reach to Wavebob. Abengoa truly understands the challenges of developing advanced energy technology and converting that challenge to a financial opportunity. Together, we share the ambition to lead the world in the commercial exploitation of the immense, and as yet untapped, ocean energy resource,” said Andrew Parish, CEO of Wavebob.

Jose B Terceiro of Abengoa, said, “Wave energy is very well aligned with Abengoa’s strategy of developing innovative technology solutions for sustainability and that is why we consider it worthwhile to conduct joint R&D efforts with the right partners and explore the potential within this new business field”.

Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, added, “International collaboration can be extremely effective in driving innovation forward – particularly in cutting-edge areas such as marine renewable energy. This collaboration is an important partnership that will further progress Wavebob’s innovative wave energy conversion technology.”