Bilbao-based wave-energy company Arrecife Energy Systems is making progress on the development of a system that is inspired by coral reefs and the efficient way they absorb the energy of waves.

The company was formed two years ago following a study of wave behaviour conducted by José Javier Doria, after years of research in the field of turbine design.

This led to the idea of creating a device equipped with cross-flow turbines, composed of multiple blades placed in series, in order to maximise the energy absorption of waves by simulating a coral reef.

The wave energy device is currently at the ‘technology readiness’ level, with plans to roll out the first full-scale commercial unit in 2020.

Oscar Villanueva Cañizares, Arrecife Energy’s CEO, said: “The system generates electricity due to the opposition of the direct-action cross-flow turbines that form our wave-energy converter — WEC.

“The movement is converted to electricity through a hydraulic system, plus electrical components like generators and the power take off equipment.”

The company has conducted trials on a 1:10 scale prototype, but without any electrical parts, or grid connection on the device. It plans to build a larger device that will be tested in 2018, either at the Biscay Marine Energy Platform or at the European Marine Energy Centre in the Orkney Islands.

Mr Cañizares added: “Our goal is to build a large-scale grid-connected Arrecife WEC and test it in 2018. Meanwhile, we’re going to stay for six months at the Cambridge Innovation Center in Massachusetts to develop and improve the technology and validate our business model.”

The capacity of the full-scale device will be about 265kW if located in the Bay of Biscay, north of Spain, although the capacity could be increased to 1.6MW for locations with appropriate wave conditions, such as those found in Northern Ireland.