WaveX Demonstrates Innovative Wave Energy Prototype at Imperial College

It's been an exciting month for WaveX! We recently tested our latest wave energy conversion prototype in the wave tanks at Imperial College London, and we're thrilled to share the results.

At its core, our approach is elegantly simple. Two inflatable structures, buried beneath the seabed, are connected by a tube that runs under the sand. This tube allows air to flow naturally from areas of high pressure under wave crests to areas of low pressure beneath wave troughs. In our test setup, you can clearly see large green tubes redirecting airflow, enabling us to accurately measure the energy captured. Pressure sensors and a micro-controller feed real-time data into our cloud-based platform, giving us precise insight into the system's performance.

Did it all go smoothly? Absolutely. Was that a surprise? Not really—several startups and researchers have previously demonstrated and quantified the effectiveness of this "submerged pressure differential" method.

However, here's the big innovation from WaveX: Traditional wave energy converters typically sit on top of the seabed, necessitating heavy and costly foundations. Our flexible, inflatable solution operates fully embedded within the seabed itself, entirely eliminating the need for these massive foundations. This groundbreaking design reduces the weight of wave energy converters by a factor of 50, slashing electricity costs dramatically—from approximately €0.20 per kWh down to just €0.04 per kWh.

We're excited about the potential this holds for affordable, sustainable, and scalable wave energy solutions. Stay tuned as we continue to refine our technology and push the boundaries of renewable energy innovation!