The trial period will be monitored by ESB, Ireland’s foremost energy company, under an industrial innovation collaboration, providing Seaturns with an industry perspective from one of Europe’s most respected energy utilities.

“The installation of this first full-scale demonstrator marks the culmination of more than ten years of research and development by the Seaturns team. From the outset, we have followed a rigorous, step-by-step technology validation program, progressing successively through testing at scales of 1/30, 1/10, and 1/4 in collaboration with European universities and Ifremer, before reaching full scale today. Each phase has validated the performance and reliability of the technology under increasingly representative operational conditions. In a relatively short timeframe and with well-managed resources, we have successfully deployed our first full-scale demonstrator at sea. This milestone demonstrates the relevance of our technological approach, founded on simplicity, robustness, and industrial competitiveness, and marks a pivotal step towards commercialization,” said Vincent Tournerie, Founder and Chairman, Seaturns.

A Strategic Milestone for Marine Renewable Energy

The deployment of the Seaturns full-scale wave energy demonstrator S1 is a first in France and represents a landmark moment for the wave energy sector in Europe.

The trials are being conducted 27.5 kilometers away from the Port of Le Verdon in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, within the jurisdiction of the Grand Port Maritime de Bordeaux (GPMB). This location was selected for the quality and representativeness of its wave conditions relative to real offshore operating environments, while offering excellent logistical access for marine operations. The demonstrator operates off-grid—energy produced is dissipated; however, full turbine output data and floater behavior monitoring data will be collected throughout, forming the evidentiary basis for technology certification. An environmental impact monitoring program will run for the full duration of the trials.

Seaturns benefits from the institutional and technical support of the Grand Port Maritime de Bordeaux throughout this phase.

The primary objectives of the trial campaign are to:

• Validate the dynamic behavior of the floater under real sea conditions.
• Develop and refine offshore operations and maintenance procedures.
• Confirm the reliability and performance of the power take-off (PTO) system.
• Collect the data required for technology certification and industrialization.

The sea trial results are expected to support technology certification by mid-2027, with data directly informing the industrialization roadmap and the commercial development of Seaturns’ first 2 MW pilot project in Mauritius, a world first for the wave energy sector, with a pathway to a 10 MW commercial project.

“The deployment of our full-scale wave energy demonstrator is a key milestone for Seaturns, and a first in France. The floater is fully instrumented and subject to comprehensive operational monitoring covering the principal performance criteria for marine energy technologies. Installation was carried out in two stages—the laying of the mooring line, followed by connection of the floater, which is now fully operational. We monitor its performance in real time using onboard data, correlated with wave conditions measured by a wave buoy. Over an 18-month period, these trials will enable us to demonstrate the performance, reliability and viability of our technology, while progressing towards certification and commercialization,” said Arthur Chauliac, Trials Manager, Seaturns.

An Industrial Collaboration with ESB

Under this industrial collaboration, ESB will monitor the key stages of the deployment and offshore trials of Seaturns’ full-scale demonstrator, with access to technical data and live performance results under real operational conditions.

For Seaturns, the partnership represents a significant commercial signal: ESB’s engagement reflects growing institutional appetite for wave energy as a bankable, scalable renewable technology, and reinforces the potential investment case ahead of the company’s planned fundraising round in early 2027.

Ireland holds one of the largest exploitable wave energy resources in Europe, with potential up to 19 GW according to the Evolve project. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Offshore Renewable Energy Technology Roadmap (2024) significant wave energy scenario has 4 GW (14 TWh per year) deployed by 2050. ESB has been systematically monitoring the wave energy technology landscape for a number of years as part of its Net Zero by 2040 strategy. Seaturns was notably identified in the ESB emerging technology insights 2025 report as part of ESB’s ongoing intelligence work on innovative renewable energy generation.

Both companies view this collaboration as an opportunity to accelerate the development and adoption of wave energy as a competitive and viable renewable energy source, and to lay the groundwork for future commercial deployment, particularly in the Irish market.

“ESB are actively monitoring wave energy demonstrations progressing across a number of technologies in several European countries. The leading projects, including Seaturns, are addressing some of the fundamental challenges to make wave energy a mainstream energy source, including storm survivability and structural efficiency. These challenges are critical to unlocking significant energy potential on the Atlantic coast of Ireland and Europe,” said Cahir O’Neill, Emerging Technology Specialist, ESB.

A Major Advance for the European Wave Energy Sector

Europe leads global wave energy technology development, with an estimated resource of over 400 TWh per year. With a validated full-scale demonstrator now operational at sea, Seaturns is positioned to become one of the first wave energy companies globally to achieve technology certification and move into commercial deployment, representing a significant value inflection point for the company.

Seaturns is targeting a fundraising round in early 2027 to finance its progression from TRL 6 to TRL 8, support the industrialization of its equipment, and advance the project development toward commercialization.