WES Innovation Project: Unlocking the Future of Wave Energy Clustering
- Elaine Sherriffs
- Apr 2
- 5 min read
Wave energy has long been recognised as a promising but challenging renewable resource. As the sector seeks cost-effective and scalable deployment solutions, the concept of clustering multiple wave energy devices has gained traction. This approach could provide operational efficiencies,
reduce costs, and enhance energy production.
Wave Energy Scotland (WES) has been at the forefront of supporting wave energy innovation, and their recent collaboration with Blackfish Engineering has explored the potential of clustering solutions. Through a structured innovation process, Blackfish facilitated an in-depth exploration of clustering strategies, leading to new insights and promising design concepts.
Wave Energy Scotland: Driving Innovation in Marine Renewables
WES was established in 2014 following the collapse of two major wave energy developers, Pelamis and Aquamarine. Recognising the risk of losing critical innovation, expertise, and intellectual property, the Scottish Government created WES to ensure a more structured and sustainable approach to wave energy development.
A key enabler of WES’s success has been its Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) funding model. This approach provides 100% funding for early-stage projects, removing financial barriers for start-ups, university spinouts, and small enterprises. The competitive structure of PCP ensures that only the most promising technologies advance through independent expert-led assessments. This structured pathway supports reliable long-term funding and innovation.
Economic modelling by Offshore Wind Consultants, commissioned by WES, has shown that co-locating wave energy devices with floating offshore wind projects, particularly in deeper waters off Scotland’s north and west coasts, can significantly reduce costs. Sharing infrastructure, services, and supply chain support enhances commercial viability. Research at the University of Edinburgh’s FloWave facility indicated that placing WECs relatively close together does not lead to significant performance loss, further supporting clustering strategies.
The Challenge: Why Clustering Matters
As Scotland expands its floating offshore wind capacity, many licensed sites also sit in areas with high wave energy potential. This creates an opportunity to explore co-location strategies, allowing wave and wind systems to share infrastructure, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency.
Clustering wave energy devices offers several advantages:
Cost reduction: Shared cabling, moorings, and maintenance operations can lower the levelised cost of energy (LCOE).
Operational efficiency: Co-located projects can benefit from shared vessels, ports, and supply chains.
Grid integration: Combining wind and wave can smooth variability in renewable generation.
Scalability: Deploying devices in clusters could create a more commercially viable model for wave energy farms.
To assess the feasibility of clustering, WES commissioned a detailed study to explore deployment strategies and potential benefits.
Research and Feasibility: Laying the Groundwork
The research study, conducted by OWC Limited, investigated multiple scenarios for integrating wave energy devices with floating offshore wind. Areas of focus included:
Standalone vs integrated development: Comparing costs and benefits of independent wave farms versus hybrid sites shared with offshore wind.
Infrastructure sharing: Evaluating savings in grid connection, installation, and operations.
Technical synergies: Assessing how wave devices could complement floating wind platforms by stabilising movement and improving efficiency.
The study found that while fully integrated wind-wave platforms may not be immediately feasible, intermediate levels of co-location and clustering offer significant economic potential. This led WES to initiate an innovation project aimed at developing a practical clustering solution.
Blackfish Engineering’s Role: From Concept to Innovation
When WES issued a tender seeking clustering solutions, Blackfish Engineering was selected for its expertise in marine design, structured innovation approach, and commitment to an open-ended exploratory process.
Instead of proposing a pre-defined solution, Blackfish focused on facilitating a rigorous, unbiased ideation process. Stakeholders were encouraged to challenge assumptions and explore a wide range of potential designs before narrowing down to the most viable concepts.
Tim Warren, Operations Director at Blackfish, explained:
"The cluster concept project offered a fascinating challenge for Blackfish and it was great to work with WES to explore this topic in more detail. The creative innovation process yielded plenty of ideas and concepts, allowing us to use our marine engineering expertise to assess these in more detail. We were very pleased to be able to develop a viable cluster concept that considers the major topics of spacing, manufacturing, and O&M."
Inside the Innovation Workshop
The two-day workshop hosted by Blackfish was designed to:
Encourage broad idea generation before refining the most promising concepts.
Facilitate cross-disciplinary discussions.
Challenge existing preconceptions and biases.
Create a structured path toward a viable clustering solution.
Highlights included:
Interactive brainstorming sessions generating hundreds of ideas.
Scenario analysis evaluating different clustering configurations.
Technical feasibility assessments ensuring shortlisted concepts were practical.
Iterative filtering based on technical, operational, and economic criteria.
A key takeaway was the importance of avoiding assumptions. Participants were reminded to avoid phrases like “we’ll simply do this” or “we just need to,” ensuring all design challenges were fully considered.
Jonathan Hodges of WES reflected:
"One of the best things was quite early us being pulled up on the word ‘simply’ or ‘just.’ It’s easy to say, ‘we’ll just design so and so,’ but the workshop forced us to pause, document it, and really think it through. That process gave us confidence in the final concepts."
7. The Outcomes: Defining a Path Forward
Two primary clustering concepts emerged from the workshop:
Steel hexagonal floating structure: Inspired by floating wind technology, this rigid platform can house multiple WECs in a single configuration.
Net-based modular system: A flexible mooring network allows adjustable device configurations and potentially lower costs.
The steel hexagonal structure emerged as the preferred initial concept, while the net-based system remains a viable alternative. Next steps include detailed validation, cost modelling, and engagement with industry stakeholders.
Peter Dennis of WES said:
"We wanted something we could put in front of the sector and say, ‘this is what we’ve arrived at - what do you think?’ I knew I’d be standing up at All-Energy with something on the screen, and it had to be a concept backed by a rigorous, justifiable process. Blackfish helped us achieve that."
Tim Hurst, Managing Director of WES, added:
"Clustering wave energy converters could be a key solution for wave energy array deployments and an attractive option for co-location with floating offshore wind farms. This cluster concept offers a potential path for commercialising wave energy and will be used to engage with stakeholders across the offshore renewable energy sector."
The Broader Impact: Innovation as a Service
Beyond this project, the success of Blackfish’s structured innovation approach highlights the value of workshops as a service. This methodology could support other challenges in wave energy development, including:
Marine operations and deployment strategies.
Mooring and anchoring solutions.
Alternative energy storage integrations
By enabling unbiased, early-stage exploration, this approach helps developers identify viable solutions while avoiding pitfalls from preconceived assumptions.
Turning Ideas into Impact
The WES innovation project represents a significant step toward making wave energy clustering a reality. By leveraging structured innovation and collaboration, WES and Blackfish Engineering have created a robust framework for exploring wave energy deployment strategies.
As the industry progresses, feedback from stakeholders will be essential in refining and advancing these concepts. WES remains committed to fostering innovation and ensuring wave energy plays a vital role in Scotland’s renewable energy future.
This project demonstrates the power of structured ideation and collaborative problem-solving, paving the way for new breakthroughs in wave energy development. The journey is far from complete, but the foundation has been set for the next phase of marine renewable innovation.
If your organisation is exploring wave energy development or innovative marine solutions, we welcome discussions on collaboration, technology validation, and practical deployment strategies. Please get in touch to explore how we can advance wave energy clustering together.
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