Scarcity of resources, climate change
For our future, let’s turn to the sea
Technology
Project
With a technically exploitable potential estimated at several thousand TWh/year, wave energy converters (WECs) have a strong development potential. About 10% of the world's annual electricity demand could be met with wave energy production.
Taking into account the learnings from existing wave technologies and the various barriers to their commercial development, Seaturns has defined five research objectives:
- Minimise the levelized cost of energy (LCOE),
- Ensure a high level of reliability and survivability to withstand severe sea states,
- Efficiently capture different types of swell,
- Facilitate installation and maintenance operations at sea,
- Minimise the cost and frequency of maintenance interventions.
To harness wave energy and convert it into electricity, Seaturns has developed a breakthrough wave energy solution based on an innovative anchoring system. This concept has been patented in France and internationally (Australia, China, Europe, Japan, South Africa and USA).
The developed technology is based on the principle of an internal water pendulum oscillating in a cylindrical floater. It is a simple, compact and robust solution, with reasonable dimensions.
Several markets are targeted: grid electricity production, supply to industrial sites and off-grid areas.
Progress
Tank tests | Santander | 2021

In May-June 2021, Seaturns conducts two weeks of tests at Cantabria Coastal and Ocean Basin, the wave basin of IH Cantabria in Spain. These trials enable testing a wave energy converter at a scale of 1:10, which is a great step forward in Seaturns’ R&D programme. At this scale, it is possible to test an energy capture turbine and moorings representative of current practices in the offshore sector.
The access to the basin was funded by the European Union as part of the MaRINET2 programme.
Tank tests | Porto | 2020

In November 2020, Seaturns conducts two weeks of tests in the wave basin of Porto University. The objective of these tests is to optimise the performance and to characterise the behavior of the system in multi-floaters configuration, in different sea states. The resistance in extreme conditions, with survival waves at varied incidences, is also tested.
The access to the basin was funded by the European Union as part of the Interreg Atlantic Area PORTOS Project.
News
Shell Startup Engine programme
23/06/2022

Seaturns has just been selected to be part of the Shell Startup Engine programme, along with Boreales Energy, Heliore Technologies, Up&Charge and WattAnyWhere.
Our ambition is to decarbonise and diversify the global energy mix. The multidisciplinary support of a mentor and experts from Shell France will facilitate our development in 2022-2023.
→ Shell France press release