The Basque Energy Agency (EVE) has launched a call for proposals for the development of air turbines that will be implemented in the Mutriku wave powerplant. The four-year €3.2 million collaborative programme is now accepting proposals for the first phase, in which several air turbine projects will be selected for the development of concept designs. The pre-commercial public purchase programme, which is known as Turbo Wave, will be open until February 16, 2023, and aims to accelerate the development of air turbine technologies that respond to needs of the wider wave energy sector. The air turbines to be developed as part of this procurement will primarily be used for the Mutriku wave powerplant located at the breakwater in the Bay of Biscay, Spain. The process is expected to culminate, in 2026, with the selection of one successful technology that will be supplied to the world's longest operating wave powerplant, which has been in service for more than 11 years. Equipped with oscillating water column units, with a total installed capacity of 296 kW, the currently operational Mutriku scheme produces approximately 300 MWh/year, which is equivalent to the electrical energy consumed by 100 homes in one year.
展开▼
