BILLIA CROO, TO BECOME THE UK’S LARGEST WAVE ENERGY SITE
May 15, 2025
CorPower Ocean has signed a berth agreement to build a 5 MW wave energy project at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland. EMEC is the world’s leading centre for demonstrating wave and tidal energy converters in the sea.
Related: Exploring the Unseen Impact of Wave Energy Technology
Scheduled for deployment in 2029, the 5 MW array is expected to become the UK’s largest wave energy project. It will be deployed at EMEC’s grid-connected Billia Croo wave energy test site and comprises 14 wave energy converters (WECs), operating for up to 15 years.
“With its abundant natural resources and unrivalled experience in marine renewables, Scotland is in a prime position for the development and deployment of tidal stream and wave energy to further add to Scotland’s renewable energy mix.
“I am delighted to announce that CorPower Ocean has entered into an agreement to develop the UK’s largest wave farm at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. This new project will create skilled jobs in Orkney, support a developing supply chain while reinforcing Scotland’s global leadership in marine renewables. ”— Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes
CorPower says that this marks CorPower Ocean’s second project at EMEC, following testing its C3 WEC at EMEC’s Scapa Flow test site in 2018. CorPower Ocean has successfully demonstrated its C4 device off the coast of Portugal and producing electricity to the Portuguese grid. The WECs feature a 9 m diameter spherical composite hull – one of the strongest shapes in nature – which drives the movement of the power take-off as it responds to passing waves. The hull and other subsystems are due to be built in Orkney.
“We’re pleased to welcome CorPower Ocean back to EMEC, having first hosted them at our Scapa Flow test site in 2018. It’s fantastic to see the structured development they’ve pursued – progressing from smaller-scale testing in Orkney to a larger demonstration in Portugal and now preparing for an array back here at EMEC.
“Structured innovation is crucial for derisking and improving cost-efficiency when proving technologies at sea. Developing what could become the UK’s largest wave energy array is a major step forward – not only for CorPower Ocean but for the wave energy sector as a whole.
“There’s a vast wave energy resource across the globe – estimated at nearly ten times Europe’s annual electricity demand. Progressing towards wave energy array demonstrations is vital to realising its significant potential to strengthen energy security, create a more robust energy mix and create economic value in coastal regions.”— Matthew Finn, Managing Director at EMEC
