Israel-based Eco Wave Power is in talks with the Adani Group to set up a wave energy plant at Vizhinjam port in Kerala. Inna Braverman, CEO of Eco Wave Power, said they are discussing with Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPP) to install power floaters to make the new port renewable energy-powered.
“We are discussing with Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPP) to install power floaters as they aim to make their new port run on renewable energy,” said Inna Braverman, founder and CEO of the Nasdaq-listed firm said.
Vizhinjam port recently got approval to become India’s first transshipment port. Eco Wave Power plans to use the port’s 980 meters of breakwaters for an initial project, with the potential to expand to the existing 3000 meters in later phases. Each megawatt of capacity will need 270 meters of breakwater space.
Another Eco Wave Power official added, “We are in talks with AVPP about starting a wave energy project. Initially, we plan to use 980 meters of breakwaters for a prototype, and later we might use the full 3000 meters of breakwaters in future phases.”
Braverman highlighted the sector’s challenges, noting the absence of regulations and legislation for wave energy, which is new to the renewable energy scene. “Building a power station takes about six months, but getting regulatory approval can take around three years,” she said.
She also pointed out that many wave energy companies in Australia, Portugal, and Europe have faced high-profile failures over the years, often because offshore projects couldn’t handle very high waves. “Many units broke down after just a few days of operation,” said Braverman, who was born in Ukraine during the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
