BIMEP (Mutriku) World´s first breakwater wave power plant: acceptance of the community
About this good practice
The access to the inner harbor of Mutriku was always troublesome every time sea storms hit the coastline. A strong fishing industry was set in the town and fishermen requested a new improved access to the harbor. Finally, the Basque Government decided to carry out a breakwater project, the construction of a 400m sea wall.
Taking advantage of this context, the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), commissioned a pilot project of the Mutriku Wave Power Plant, which later became the first commercial wave power plant brought into operation worldwide. This project meant a major step forward towards the commercialization of this energy source.
The power plant is attached to the breakwater. It consists of 16 OWC (Oscillating Water Column) chambers fitted by air turbines with a total installed power of 296 kW. The plant yearly produces around 300 MWh. The operating principle of the plant is simple. The OWC chamber has an opening on the front wall below the sea water. When the wave arrives the water comes in, compressing the air inside and forced out through an upper orifice. This pressurized air drives a turbine installed in the orifice, thus turning the generator and producing electricity. In a similar way, when the wave recedes, the air is forced again through the orifice but in the opposite direction, turning the turbogenerator and producing electricity once again.
This initiative activated the industry sector involving new agents of the Basque industrial fabric in the supply chain.
Resources needed
It was a collaboration between EVE and the Port Authority.
The modification of the breakwater to house OWC chamber costed around 4 million euros. In addition, the implementation of the OWC technology costed 2.3 million euros which were partially funded by a Programme of the European Commission.
Evidence of success
The project demonstrated the technical viability to produce energy from waves. The production of 3 GWh of cumulative energy reached at the end of 2023 appears as evidence of this great success
This initiative represents a good example of facilities located close to residential areas as no formal complaint has been received along 13 years of continuous operation, thus reinforcing the “local clean energy production instead of conventional large power generation based on fossil fuels” paradigm
Potential for learning or transfer
The Mutriku Wave Power Plant stands in one of municipality that comprises the Basque Coast Geopark recognized by UNESCO. In this sense, the power plant can be regularly visited as part of tourist offering promoted by the geopark. The visits aim to emphasize the vital value of this type of demonstration projects to progress on the energy transition that the society is immersed in, at the same time as they serve to increase public awareness towards the need of renewable energies.
Further information
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