Swedish wave developer Waves4Power is to diversify into cable solutions as it prepares to redeploy its around 100kW prototype off the Norwegian coast by the summer.
Former chief executive Emil Christiansen, who stepped down from his role on 1 January, is to lead the new, as-yet unnamed spin-off, which will develop dynamic cables for connecting grid power to fish farms in collaboration with NKT Cables.
Christiansen will be assisted by another former Waves4Power supremo, Ulf Lindelof, at the new subsidiary, which will use the parent company’s parts, patented technology and know-how to developer fish farm connections.
Waves4Power will continue to develop its point absorber generation technology led by new chief executive Jonas Kamf.
“Together with NKT Cables, we have developed a special dynamic cable for wave power systems that face the same kind of problems as connecting fish farms,” said Kamf.
NKT Cables is not expected to have a direct investment in the new company aimed at fish farms at least 1km from shore, added Kamf.
Waves4Power, meanwhile, will redeploy from the spring its 100kW WaveEL 3.0 device, which will feature modifications to the 42-metre long steel buoy and power take-off and renamed the WaveEL 3.1, off the Norwegian island of Runde.
After launching the WaveEL 3.1 buoy, development work on the first iteration of its commercial-scale device – the around 300kW WaveEL 4.0 – will resume.