Learn more about the project
The project, led by Eco Wave Power, has just been installed in the Port of Los Angeles, specifically at the AltaSea Ocean Institute, and this choice was no accident. AltaSea is a nonprofit organization that works, in part, to promote ocean solutions to climate change. The project also receives funding from the oil and gas company Shell, and Eco Wave Power holds a two-year license to operate the station at the Port of Los Angeles.
Initially, the project will generate only a small amount of electricity, used exclusively on-site. However, Eco Wave Power’s goal is to expand the project along the 13-kilometer stretch of the Port of Los Angeles. If this is achieved, the project could power up to 60,000 homes in the city.
How wave energy works
At first glance, the installed floats look like small boats in the ocean, but their movements generate energy. This new system works as follows: the floats rise and fall with the waves, and this automatically activates hydraulic cylinders to pressurize tanks. This pressure drives turbines, which then produce clean electricity.
Challenges in turning a pilot into a solution
The project led by Eco Wave Power is still a pilot, meaning it is still small, consisting of just seven blue-painted buoys. On its inauguration day, it produced 1.6 kW of energy, but the company claims the facility could have a production potential of 100 kW. Although energy experts are optimistic about this new step, the road to large-scale production of this energy is still long.
Wave technology has been studied for centuries, but until now it has failed to establish itself as a viable alternative, especially on a commercial scale. This is due to significant challenges at sea, such as salinity, salt spray, storms, and strong currents, which can easily damage equipment. In addition to these factors, there is also the cost of this project. To make it accessible to the market, government incentives and more strategic partnerships in the sector are needed.
Despite these challenges, the project at the Port of Los Angeles is already considered a historic milestone in the market. Eco Wave Power has been ambitious in its expansion plans, stating that it also has projects and plans for new facilities in places like Taiwan, India, and Portugal soon. In the future, the company aims to open doors for the expansion of similar projects in other ports, islands, and coastal communities.
A symbolic but essential step
The Eco Wave Power project for the Port of Los Angeles may still be a pilot, but according to Department of Energy estimates, if expanded along the US coast, it could generate enough energy to supply about a third of the entire country. A project like this represents an important first step for the US toward the industrialization of this innovative energy source, which could significantly contribute to the global energy transition.
The Port of Los Angeles project is proof that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand. The initial numbers are not yet impressive, but the project already carries important symbolism that the ocean can be a strategic ally in the fight against climate change. This technology is still in its infancy, and therefore faces cost and durability challenges, but its advancement paves the way for new opportunities in the energy transition.