Ocean Energy Limited, one of Ireland's leading wave energy companies, is working with Wave Hub, the world's largest grid connected offshore marine energy test site, to deploy its technology at the site later this year.

Cork-based Ocean Energy, in collaboration with its partner Dresser-Rand, one of the largest global suppliers of custom-engineered rotating equipment solutions, expects to deploy a full-scale device at Wave Hub by the end of this year having tested a quarter scale prototype of its OE Buoy in Galway Bay for three years.

This means that two of Wave Hub's four berths off Hayle on the north coast of Cornwall in South West England have now been reserved. US and UK-based Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) has already signed a commitment agreement to deploy its PowerBuoy device.

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Wave Hub will match fund some of Ocean Energy’s deployment costs up to a maximum of £1 million, following a competition last year for device developers able to deploy in 2012. This includes the cost of securing a Marine Licence and installation of moorings and deployment.

Wave Hub general manager Claire Gibson said: "I am pleased to confirm our partnership with Ocean Energy Limited and look forward to assisting them with their deployment at Wave Hub later this year. Ocean Energy has completed three years of prototype testing in energetic sea conditions and is ready to make the next step to Wave Hub with a full scale device. If the testing goes well we expect to see Ocean Energy deploy an array of devices at Wave Hub.

"By supporting Ocean Energy’s deployment now we can fully test our operational procedures and establish the process for securing a Marine Licence. This will support and accelerate further deployments at Wave Hub."

(CD/GK)