WEDUSEA is an ambitious partnership project with 14 partners across Europe. The impact of the project will be the sum of their collective strength, capability, and innovation.
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) based in Orkney, Scotland, is a world-leading facility dedicated to the advancement of marine renewable energy. Established in 2003, EMEC’s primary mission is to accelerate the development, demonstration, and commercialisation of marine energy technologies by providing a robust testing environment and supporting innovation.
EMEC delivers pioneering projects in wave energy, tidal energy, hydrogen, offshore wind, integrated energy systems, and island decarbonisation, all contributing to our shared ambition for a clean energy future.
WEDUSEA is extremely proud to have EMEC as a key partner. The 2026 demonstration site for our 1 MW OE35 wave energy converter is EMEC’s Billia Croo site.
EMEC’s wave energy testing facilities are renowned for their state-of-the-art infrastructure, designed to provide developers with real-world conditions for device validation. EMEC operates two primary wave test sites: the Billia Croo site, located on the west coast of Orkney, and the Scapa Flow site, which offers milder conditions suitable for early-stage prototypes.
Billia Croo is exposed to powerful Atlantic waves, delivering consistent and robust energy resources that mirror operational environments devices will encounter after deployment. The site features multiple berths for simultaneous testing, grid-connected export cables, and extensive instrumentation for monitoring device performance and environmental factors. EMEC’s facilities are equipped with advanced data acquisition systems, real-time telemetry, and comprehensive environmental monitoring equipment. These capabilities allow developers such as the WEDUSEA project to assess device resilience, efficiency, and environmental impact, ensuring a thorough evaluation before commercial rollout.
There is a breathtaking amount happening right now at EMEC, as the centre charts its next phase of growth.
As well as deploying the WEDUSEA wave energy project, EMEC is currently working with several other developers to deploy wave energy projects in Orkney in coming years. With over 25 GW of wave energy capacity, the UK is well-positioned to lead the global transition to wave energy as well as other marine renewables and EMEC will be at the heart of this transition.
Below we highlight four of the current EMEC developments likely to impact on the future of the wave energy industry, although there are many other developments across the spectrum of marine renewables, which you can read about in full here. https://www.emec.org.uk/2025-innovation-in-action-at-emec/
Expansion of wave energy demonstration sites
Firstly, it is great to note that EMEC is pushing on with the expansion of EMEC’s wave energy demonstration sites to accelerate from prototype demonstrations to building out arrays. This is a key step as the sector moves into a commercial phase.
Driving the Marine Energy Taskforce
Secondly, EMEC is currently hard at work on the 12-month initiative announced in June 2025, with the launch of the Marine Energy Taskforce, backed by Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP. The Taskforce unites government, industry, and innovators in a critical strategic initiative to unlock the UK’s marine energy potential. Collaborating closely with the Energy Minister and other senior industry representatives, EMEC is leading a working group on site development, with concurrent groups exploring finance, innovation, and supply chain growth.
Advancing subsea components and digital technologies
Another significant EMEC initiative that could have future ramifications for the wave energy industry is an ambitious new initiative to advance subsea components and digital technologies for ocean energy. This project was kicked off in November 2025. Coordinated by EMEC, the €4 million EU-funded FOREST (Future Ocean Renewable Energy System Technologies) project brings together eight partners from the UK, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
FOREST will deliver three major innovations, spanning cables, connector systems, and measurement tools, all rigorously tested at EMEC’s test sites. By developing and testing next-generation subsea technologies crucial for ocean energy array deployments, the project aims to boost array performance, drive down costs and accelerate market readiness.
International collaboration and research
In addition, EMEC is continuing to make great strides in international collaboration. Their ever-growing roster of international partnerships will help shape the future of ocean energy on a global scale. Collaboration is a cornerstone of EMEC’s strategy, with the centre actively engaging industry stakeholders, academic institutions, and governmental bodies to advance wave energy. These partnerships enable knowledge exchange, shared risk, and coordinated efforts to address technical and regulatory challenges.
Driving innovation at a European level, EMEC continues to work closely with partners in the EU-funded Marinerg-i programme, a research infrastructure initiative aiming to establish an independent legal entity to coordinate testing facilities and services across wave, tidal, wind, solar and hybrid energy technologies.
EMEC has delivered market analysis on current and future demand, supported cost analysis and business planning, and is developing common standards and a quality control implementation plan.
As well as working on European funded projects such as WEDUSEA, EMEC are also working closely with partners at Ocean University China and Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (China), and Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (Florida, USA) to support the development of ocean energy test and demonstration facilities worldwide.
What’s next?
The wave energy sector faces a range of technical and commercial challenges, including device survivability, cost reduction, grid integration, and environmental impact. EMEC works proactively to identify and overcome these barriers, leveraging its expertise and collaborative network.
WEDUSEA is looking forward to the deployment of our 1 MW OE35 wave energy converter device at Billia Croo in 2026 and benefiting from EMEC’s outstanding support, on our journey to commercialisation.
Looking ahead, EMEC’s ongoing commitment to innovation, collaboration, and excellence will continue to drive progress in the wave energy sector. By addressing challenges and embracing new opportunities, EMEC will play a vital role in enabling the transition to a low-carbon energy future, ensuring that wave energy becomes a vital component of the global renewable energy portfolio.
