Milestone certification paves the way for commercial financing and large-scale deployment of CorPower Ocean’s wave energy technology
CorPower Ocean has become the first company to receive a DNV Prototype Certificate for a Wave Energy Converter (WEC), a milestone that strengthens the commercial case for utility-scale wave energy.
Issued under DNV’s DNV-SE-0120 Certification of Wave Energy Converters and Arrays standard, the certificate covers the company’s CorPower C4 technology following an independent verification process. The certification confirms the device meets stringent requirements for structural integrity, reliability and operational safety, establishing a new benchmark for the global wave energy sector.
It also establishes a significantly reduced technology risk, unlocking the project finance, insurance and institutional investment in commercial deployment.
“This is a historic milestone, for CorPower Ocean and the sector. It moves wave energy from being a promising technology to being a proven and bankable one. I am immensely proud of our team for making CorPower the first wave energy technology to pass this bar,” said CorPower Ocean co-founder and CEO Patrik Möller.
The news comes as CorPower Ocean advances its first two industrial wave farms, in Portugal and Scotland. It forms part of a broader ambition to elevate wave energy into the world’s third-largest renewable energy source, complementing wind and solar to deliver the lowest-cost clean energy mix around the clock.
DNV is widely recognised as the world’s leading independent assurance and certification body for offshore energy. Its standards underpin much of today’s offshore wind industry, and its certification process requires comprehensive, evidence-based verification across every stage of technology development.
The Prototype Certificate follows a seven-year process with DNV, which began with establishing the design basis for the CorPower C4. Throughout the program, DNV independently reviewed and approved concept development, detailed engineering, structural strength and fatigue analysis, manufacturing, assembly, dry testing, installation, operations and maintenance, and device performance in extreme conditions with storm waves of up to 18.5 metres.
“The issue of the first Wave Energy Converter Prototype Certificate was the culmination of a thorough and rewarding interaction with CorPower,” says Claudio Bittencourt Ferreira, Project Manager, DNV Renewables Certification. “It marks an important stepping stone in the realisation of commercial wave energy. DNV has supported this sector for over 20 years and is familiar with the many challenges these devices face. The commitment shown by the CorPower team in achieving this milestone is impressive, and we look forward to continuing the journey with them.”
For more than half a century, wave energy has remained one of renewable energy’s greatest untapped opportunities.
“CorPower Ocean’s determination to make wave energy not only scalable but bankable has been consistently demonstrated throughout its development journey,” says Santiago Gil, Head of VC, Santander Alternative Investments. “This certification validates years of rigorous engineering work, significantly reduces technology risk and further strengthens the path towards commercial deployment at scale.”
