Overview
The Saoirse Wave Energy project – led by ESB - is a pioneering 4.9MW wave farm array, located adjacent to the Co Clare coast. It is a demonstration project which will prove the viability of harnessing wave energy in Irish seas and how it may help Ireland’s climate targets.
Subject to the necessary consents and a grid connection, the project is scheduled to be completed by early 2030. The chosen technology for deployment is developed by Swedish based CorPower Ocean. The first full-scale demonstration of the CorPower Ocean technology is currently taking place in Portugal.
Technology
The CorPower technology consists of surface buoys, anchored to the seabed by a pre-tensioned system, that rise and fall with wave motion. The resulting mechanical energy is converted to electricity for export to shore through a system of inter-array and export cables. With 14 CorPower devices, the 4.9MW wave array demonstrated in this project aims at validating the integration of all systems needed to generate electricity from ocean waves.
The project is being co-funded by the European Union, Emissions Trading System Innovation. More information on the fund can be found here.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.