Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 17, Seaturns, a Bordeaux-based wave energy developer, has launched the first phase of full-scale trials for its wave energy conversion system at Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port, France. This milestone marks the company’s shift from design to practical implementation, advancing sustainable energy solutions.

Following six months of manufacturing and assembly, Seaturns completed its full-scale demonstrator, a 42-ton steel unit measuring 15 meters long and six meters in diameter, designed to generate 200 kW of nominal power. The system aims to harness wave energy efficiently, contributing to renewable energy development.

“This fundamental step is the culmination of ten years of R&D and the hard work of a team entirely dedicated to this demonstrator. It’s a huge achievement to finally be able to see it in full size. This success is also that of all those who have placed their trust in us,” said Vincent Tournerie, CEO and Founder of Seaturns.

The initial testing phase has included critical operations such as launching the unit, conducting buoyancy checks, verifying boarding and safety procedures, and disassembling and reassembling the electrical conversion module. These tasks, completed in just two hours with minimal resources and a small team, demonstrate the system’s maintenance simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

“We have validated the safety of operations and begun to demonstrate the effectiveness of maintenance, thus confirming the feasibility of interventions at sea. This success paves the way for more economical and robust operation of our solution,” said Arthur Chauliac, Test Manager at Seaturns.

Seaturns plans to launch the second phase of trials in early 2026, involving open-sea testing to evaluate the demonstrator’s performance and durability under real marine conditions for at least one year. This phase will also assess environmental impacts, supporting the path toward industrialization and commercial rollout by the end of 2026.

The trials are part of the IAS-WEC project, backed by the i-Nov competition, managed by Bpifrance and ADEME, and co-funded by the French state through the France 2030 program and the EU-supported France Relance plan. Key collaborators include MECASOUD, Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port, and Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique.

In July, Seaturns raised €2.45 million through a crowdfunding campaign on the LITA.co platform, supported by 1,543 investors, to advance the industrialization and deployment of its wave energy technology. This funding strengthens Seaturns’ efforts to scale its innovative solution for sustainable energy production.