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A tested technology in port areas reuses the movement of the sea in search of space between renewables and transforms an industrial landscape into a showcase for research, licenses, and disputes over economic viability.
Floating structures installed in a channel of the Port of Los Angeles have become part of a project that aims to convert wave movement into electricity.
Officially presented by Eco Wave Power, in partnership with AltaSea, the initiative is described by the company as the first onshore wave energy installation in the United States.
The system was set up in a port area that previously housed oil tanks and now serves as a testing ground for ocean-related technologies.
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In the project, buoys attached to an existing structure rise and fall with the movement of the water.
The proposal is to verify, under real conditions, whether this type of coastal infrastructure can be used to generate renewable energy.
According to the company, the pilot in Los Angeles was developed to demonstrate the technology’s operation and pave the way for future expansion.
In statements to the Associated Press, Eco Wave Power’s CEO, Inna Braverman, said that a potential expansion along the port’s breakwater could represent a “game changer” for clean energy production in the region.
However, this is a projection from the company, not an already installed capacity.
The choice of location also relates to an ongoing debate around major American ports.
Communities near loading and unloading zones have been living with the impacts of industrial activity for decades, including air pollution associated with transportation and port operations.
In this context, electrification projects and new renewable sources have been presented as part of the alternatives under discussion.
How the system transforms the movement of the sea into electricity
The operation of the model adopted in Los Angeles is based on a mechanical principle.
When the waves cause the buoys to rise and fall, this movement activates hydraulic cylinders connected to the structure.
A biodegradable fluid then passes through pipes to tanks installed on land.
As pressure builds up in these tanks, it moves a motor connected to a generator.
This process generates electricity.
In the case of the Californian project, energy conversion occurs on land, which reduces the need for more complex equipment at sea and limits direct interventions on the coast.
According to the company, one of the advantages of the system is precisely the use of existing structures, such as breakwaters, piers, and jetties.
This tends to reduce the need for new constructions in coastal areas and can simplify part of the implementation.
Still, the technical and economic feasibility depends on factors such as material strength, maintenance costs, licensing, and performance over time.
What explains the interest in wave energy
The technology was officially presented on September 9, 2025 by Eco Wave Power, in partnership with AltaSea.
Although still in the consolidation phase, wave energy frequently appears in studies on diversifying the electric matrix.
The U.S. Department of Energy states that this is the most abundant and widely distributed marine resource in the country.
According to the agency, the theoretical potential of waves in American waters is equivalent to about 34% of U.S. electricity generation in 2019.
This data does not mean that all this volume can be converted into useful energy.
Still, it helps explain why universities, companies, and public agencies continue to invest in research and pilot projects.
In general, the sector is treated as a complementary front, rather than an immediate substitute for already established sources, such as solar and wind.
Industry experts also highlight that waves behave differently from wind and solar radiation.
When the wind loses strength, for example, wind generation drops quickly.
In the case of the sea, the energy associated with wave movement can persist longer, even after changes in atmospheric conditions that originated it.
Therefore, associations in the field point out that the technology may, in the future, help to complement other renewable sources.
In this sense, Rémi Gruet, executive director of Ocean Energy Europe, told the Associated Press that the project in Los Angeles opens the possibility of using breakwaters in other American ports.
According to him, the sector is experiencing a transitional moment between innovation initiatives and pilot projects focused on industrialization and commercialization.
Where the Main Challenges Come From
Despite the potential indicated by studies and sector agents, wave energy still faces significant limitations.
The cost remains one of the main obstacles.
Today, projects of this nature still do not compete, in scale and price, with already established solar and wind farms.
The regulatory issue also weighs heavily.
To be installed at the Port of Los Angeles, the project needed to obtain permits from the port and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The final federal authorization was announced on November 18, 2024, after a process that, according to the company, took about two years.
In California, the topic has also gained more recent legislative attention.
In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 605, a regulation that came into effect on January 1, 2024, requiring the state Energy Commission to assess the feasibility of wave and tidal energy, including costs, benefits, transmission requirements, and licensing.
Additionally, the Los Angeles pilot received co-funding from Shell, at a stage when the technology still relies on practical demonstrations to attract investment and prove performance.
According to experts interviewed in reports about the project, small-scale applications may be useful in remote coastal areas, islands, or locations where diesel supply is expensive and logistically challenging.
Where This Technology Has Been Tested
The experience in Los Angeles did not arise in isolation.
In Mutriku, Spain, a plant integrated into the breakwater began operations in July 2011 and has been cited as the first commercial wave energy plant in Europe.
The Spanish case often appears as a reference because it demonstrated the possibility of integrating this type of generation into port infrastructure.
In the United States, another frequently cited milestone is an offshore system that began operations in Hawaii in 2016.
These examples help to situate the stage of the sector: the technology has already moved out of the laboratory, but still operates sporadically, with a strong presence of experimental and demonstration projects.
In the case of Eco Wave Power, the company also reports that it maintains initiatives in other countries, such as Israel, Taiwan, India, and Portugal, in addition to seeking areas for new pilots in the United States.
According to Braverman, studies funded by Shell mapped dozens of points along the American coastline where the model could be tested.
In Los Angeles, however, the immediate focus remains on the performance of the pilot project.
The installation was presented as a step for operational and regulatory validation.
In practice, what will be observed now is whether the system can operate consistently, with controlled maintenance and results that support new investments.
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