Wave energy technology developer CorPower Ocean has secured a €40 million grant from the EU Innovation Fund for VianaWave, a 10 MW wave energy project planned off Portugal’s northern coast. This initiative marks a major advance in Portugal’s strategy to use marine energy to achieve its climate and energy objectives.
VianaWave will deploy a “CorPack” array consisting of 30 Wave Energy Converters (WECs), projected to produce about 30 GWh of clean electricity annually. The project supports Portugal’s National Energy and Climate Plan, which aims for 200MW of installed wave energy capacity by 2030.
CorPower Ocean envisions VianaWave progressing from demonstration to commercial-scale operations, building on the lessons learned from its earlier HiWave-5 program. Portugal’s leadership in wave energy is further highlighted by the EU-backed EVOLVE study, which found up to 15 GW of untapped wave energy potential along the nation’s coastline.
The Innovation Fund grant will also finance essential onshore infrastructure upgrades, such as electrical grid enhancements in Agucadoura and Póvoa de Varzim, and the creation of an operations hub at the Port of Viana do Castelo. Notably, CorPower expects that 75% of the total project spending will stay within Portugal, benefiting the local economy and creating skilled jobs in engineering, construction, and marine operations.
Kevin Rebenius, Commercial Director at CorPower Ocean, described the development as a pivotal milestone for both the company and the broader wave energy sector, emphasising that VianaWave demonstrates wave energy’s readiness to scale. With robust backing from the Innovation Fund and Portuguese stakeholders, the project is accelerating the shift to a sustainable and resilient energy system while delivering local economic value.
VianaWave is expected to become operational by 2028 or 2029. Once running, it will contribute to strengthening Portugal’s industrial supply chains and attracting additional future investment.
