WETFEET · Project

Making Wave Energy Devices Survive Storms and Cut Maintenance Costs

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Imagine trying to generate electricity from ocean waves — except every big storm threatens to destroy your equipment, and sending repair crews out to sea costs a fortune. WETFEET tackled this by figuring out how to make wave energy devices simply dive underwater when storms hit, like a submarine dodging bad weather. They also replaced traditional moving mechanical parts with a flexible membrane that converts wave motion to electricity, kind of like how a drum skin vibrates — fewer moving parts means fewer breakdowns. Two different wave device designs were built as physical demonstration models to prove these ideas actually work.

By the numbers

consortium partners collaborating on wave energy breakthroughs

countries represented in the development consortium

physical demonstration models built and presented

SMEs involved in the project with commercial interest

wave converter types used as development platforms (OWC and Symphony)

43%

industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Ocean wave energy has enormous potential but current devices keep breaking in storms, cost too much to maintain at sea, and take too long to reach the market. Companies investing in marine renewables face high development risks and unreliable equipment that drives up the cost of energy — making wave power uncompetitive against wind and solar.

The solution

What was built

The project built two physical demonstration models showcasing breakthrough wave energy concepts. Key innovations include a submergence system for storm survival, a dielectric membrane power take-off replacing mechanical generators, and shared mooring/electrical connection designs for wave device arrays. A total of 10 deliverables were produced across the project.

Audience

Who needs this

Wave energy device developers seeking to improve device survivabilityOffshore wind and marine energy companies diversifying into wave powerMarine O&M service providers looking to reduce intervention costsSubsea cable and mooring system manufacturers serving wave farmsUtility companies evaluating wave energy for their renewable portfolio

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Offshore Renewable Energy

SME

Target: Wave energy device manufacturers and developers

If you are a wave energy developer struggling with device failures during storms and high maintenance costs at sea — this project developed submergence technology that protects devices by taking them underwater during extreme weather, plus a dielectric membrane power take-off system that replaces complex mechanical generators. Two physical demonstration models were built across a 14-partner consortium spanning 6 countries.

Marine Operations & Maintenance

mid-size

Target: Offshore maintenance and service companies

If you are a marine services company dealing with expensive and dangerous offshore maintenance operations for energy devices — this project developed continuous submergence strategies and adapted components that drastically reduce the need to send crews out to sea. The O&M breakthrough was tested on two converter types (OWC and Symphony) with near-term commercial interest.

Electrical Infrastructure

any

Target: Subsea cable and mooring system suppliers

If you are a supplier of mooring systems or subsea electrical connections looking to reduce costs for wave farm installations — this project developed shared mooring and electrical connection designs for arrays of nearby devices. This array breakthrough allows compact device clusters that share infrastructure, reducing per-unit installation costs across wave energy farms.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project data does not include specific licensing costs or pricing information. WETFEET was a Research and Innovation Action involving 6 SMEs in the consortium, suggesting the technology was developed with commercial pathways in mind. Contact the coordinator WAVEC/Offshore Renewables in Portugal to discuss licensing terms.

Can this scale to industrial wave farm deployments?

The project developed array-level solutions including shared mooring and electrical connections between nearby devices, which directly addresses industrial scaling. Two converter types (OWC and Symphony) were used as platforms, described as having near-term commercial interest. However, the project produced demonstration models rather than full-scale commercial prototypes.

Who owns the intellectual property?

The project explicitly mentions identified IP related to breakthrough components, systems, and processes. IP is held by the 14-partner consortium across 6 countries. Licensing discussions would need to go through the consortium, with WAVEC/Offshore Renewables as the coordinating partner.

How does this handle extreme ocean conditions?

WETFEET's primary survivability breakthrough is device submergence under storm conditions — the device goes underwater to avoid wave damage during storms. This was combined with continuous submergence strategies that also reduce operation and maintenance requirements. Both approaches were tested on two physical demonstration models.

What is the timeline to get this technology working in real conditions?

The project ran from 2015 to 2018 and produced two physical demonstration models for public presentations. Based on available project data, the technology reached demonstration stage but would need further sea trials and pre-commercial validation before full deployment. The two converter types targeted have near-term commercial interest according to the project objectives.

Does this comply with current marine energy regulations?

Based on available project data, specific regulatory compliance is not detailed. The project was funded under the EU Low-Carbon Energy topic (LCE-01-2014) and involved partners from 6 European countries, suggesting alignment with EU renewable energy policy. Regulatory specifics would need to be confirmed with the consortium.

Consortium

Who built it

The WETFEET consortium brings together 14 partners from 6 countries (Austria, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, UK), with a healthy 43% industry ratio — meaning nearly half the partners are companies, not just universities. Six of those partners are SMEs, suggesting practical commercial motivation alongside the research. The coordinator, WAVEC/Offshore Renewables based in Portugal, is itself an SME and a recognized wave energy center. With 6 university partners providing deep research capability and 6 industry partners focused on real-world application, the consortium is well-balanced between scientific rigor and commercial intent. For a business looking to adopt this technology, the strong industry presence means the results were shaped by people who understand manufacturing, costs, and market realities.

WAVEC/OFFSHORE RENEWABLES - CENTRO DE ENERGIA OFFSHORE ASSOCIACAOCoordinator · PT
INNOSEAparticipant · FR
TRELLEBORG RIDDERKERK BVparticipant · NL
UNIVERSITAT LINZparticipant · AT
UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTHparticipant · UK
SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO S ANNAparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTOparticipant · IT
THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGHparticipant · UK
INSTITUTO SUPERIOR TECNICOparticipant · PT
EDP INOVACAO SAparticipant · PT

How to reach the team

WAVEC/Offshore Renewables is based in Portugal. Use Google to search for the WETFEET project coordinator contact details at WAVEC.

Order a report on this consortium See WAVEC/OFFSHORE RENEWABLES - CENTRO DE ENERGIA OFFSHORE ASSOCIACAO profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the WETFEET team about their wave energy survivability and membrane technology? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction and help you evaluate whether this fits your offshore energy plans.

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