The energy of the sea waves represents enormous potential: in Europe alone could generate 150 terawatt-hours of clean electricity per year. But how can it be exploited efficiently? The answer comes from France, where traditional dams are evolving into sophisticated marine power plants, thanks to a project that combines coastal protection and energy production in a single solution.
Dams of the future take shape
Il Legendre Group has developed an ambitious project that aims to transform traditional dams into multifunctional structures. The system, called Dikwe, not only protects the coasts, but also uses wave energy to produce clean electricity. An approach that can transform ports from simple energy consumers into real energy production centers.
The technology is based on a system of caissons equipped with oscillating blades (a bit like our Mose), but also designed to capture and convert the force of the waves. This solution not only optimizes the use of existing infrastructure, but also contributes to the creation of new jobs in the renewable energy sector.
The potential is significant: according to data published by TotalEnergies, wave energy could make a substantial contribution to decarbonised electricity production in Europe.
A project that evolves over time
The development of Dikwe follows a rigorous path that began in 2018. The first phase, concluded in 2020, focused on 3D modeling and tank testing. These preliminary studies allowed to validate the basic principles of the system.
The second phase, carried out between the 2020 and the 2022, saw the realization of a 1:4 scale prototype tested directly at sea. The positive results have paved the way for the third phase of the project, which includes the construction of a full-scale demonstrator.
The launch of the final module is planned for 2025 in northern France: the latest, important step towards the commercialization of this technology.
“Energy” dams, significant impact
The tests on the scale prototype have provided interesting data on the energy potential of the Dikwe system. The 4.5 meters of the test barrier have shown peaks of efficiency which reach 60% of the energy produced by the waves.
For a standard sized barrier (20 meters), this translates to a production of 1 megawatt. This energy could be useful to make tourist ports more autonomous, power port industries and perhaps even produce hydrogen from wave energy.
The most interesting feature is the consistency of production: Unlike other renewable sources, wave energy is predictable and available 24 hours a day, with minimal seasonal variations.
This makes Dikwe dams particularly attractive for integration into the electricity grid, offering a clean and reliable source of energy with minimal environmental impact, as the structure can be integrated into existing infrastructure.
In short: environmental protection and sustainable energy production all-in-one. What do you think?
