Energia signs new wave power agreement

Energy firm Energia is to add wave power to its 220 MW renewable energy portfolio after it signed an agreement for the purchase of electricity generated with the pioneering US firm Ocean Energy Systems (OES).

whose uses wave energy to produce electricity.

The agreement has a potential value of €1m annually for each Wave Energy Converter (WEC) unit being constructed for a 20-year operating life.

The electricity will initially be generated from a development test site off Belmullet, Co. Mayo, where the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and OES are jointly developing a Wave Energy Converter prototype.

The prototype will be capable of generating 12 Megawatt Hours of electricity each day.

Tom Gillen, Chief Operating Officer, Energia, said: "This exciting new deal with Ocean Energy Systems is a natural step for Energia given our longstanding commitment to renewables. There is a massive role for new energy technologies such as this in meeting Ireland’s future energy needs.

"Energia already supplies many of Ireland’s leading public and private sector organisations with green power including Marks & Spencer, Bewley’s, Waterford City Council and Cork City Council. We look forward to growing our existing green energy client base through the use of new renewable sources such as the Wave Energy Convertor alongside our already considerable bank of wind farms."

Following initial wind farm investments in 2003 in Derry, Energia currently has over 220 MW of operational windfarms, and a further 400 MW in development.

Energia also sources conventional power from the Group’s power stations in north Dublin, where the company has invested €500m in the capability to supply up to 17% of electricity requirements on an all-island basis.

Energia has a 25% market share of the business electricity market on an all-island basis with over 50,000 customers.

The company also supplies one third of all gas consumed in Ireland by the country’s largest industrial and commercial gas users.

The company has offices in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Belfast and Omagh.