Lloyd’s Register certifies the study of the energy resource at the Mutriku wave power plant.

Within the framework of the European MAR+ project, which aims to provide Spain with a certified testing system capable of reducing technological risks and accelerating the industrial deployment of marine energy converters, the Mutriku wave power plant obtained the conformity assessment of the wave resource according to IEC TS 62600-101.

The Environmental Hydraulics Institute of of the University of Cantabria (IHCantabria) has obtained the conformity assessment certification of the Wave Resource Assessment (WRA) of the Mutriku wave power plant according to the IEC TS 62600-101 standard, after an independent review process carried out by Lloyd’s Register, a reference certification body in the maritime and energy field. This recognition provides a solid reference framework for the characterization of the resource in environments affected by coastal infrastructures, where the application of methodologies aligned with this international standard is still limited, and as far as IHCantabria is aware, it is the first time that this certification of conformity of a WRA in coastal and port environments is obtained.

A high-resolution characterization for Wave Energy Converters (WEC) technologies in coastal environments

The applied methodology allows describing the wave energy potential at high resolution, incorporating the full spectrum and its temporal and spatial evolution. This approach is particularly relevant for WECs devices located in coastal and harbor areas, and in particular, for the oscillating water column (OWC) technology installed in the chambers of the wave power plant at the port of Mutriku, the first wave power plant in Europe to commercialize the electricity generated since its commissioning in 2011. Until now, approaches of this type had been used mainly for port agitation studies; this milestone demonstrates their ability to rigorously characterize the energy resource in near-shore areas and in environments where structures, waves and conversion technologies interact.

Historical data and operational forecasting available in DSS MARPLUS

As a result of the work, a historical database of the wave energy potential at the foot of the seawall has been generated, with spectral information for each of the chambers. All this material, together with the final WRA report issued after the conformity assessment and the operational prediction service, can be consulted and downloaded through the DSS MARPLUS platform.

BiMEP: two areas with conformity assessment for marine energy

With this achievement, BiMEP, a partner in the MAR+ project, now has two documents certified by independent bodies:

• The Site Condition Assessment of BiMEP’s offshore testing area.
• Wave Resource Assessment of the Mutriku OWC plant.

Having both certifications reinforces BiMEP’s position as a reference infrastructure for marine energy technology developers, both in offshore environments and coastal configurations. This development contributes to provide greater technical confidence, reduce risks and facilitate the attraction of new demonstration and validation projects.

A step forward for future applications in coastal and port infrastructures

In addition to its direct impact on Mutriku, this milestone opens the door to the use of standardized methodologies to assess the wave resource at other coastal sites, expanding the possibilities for the development and integration of wave technologies in coastal and port infrastructures.

Mutriku Area