An Irish wave energy developer is to work with Cornwall’s Wave Hub with a view to deploying the scheme’s first device by the end of 2012.

Cork-based Ocean Energy Limited is now working with the Wave Hub team to secure the necessary consents and to build a full-scale wave energy device which could be deployed by the end of this year.

John McCarthy, chief executive and co-founder of Ocean Energy said: “Cornwall has been to the forefront in developing and incubating the wave energy sector and is well-placed to reap the rewards of this foresight with an excellent range of services available locally.”

The announcement follows news last month that the South West has been designated the UK’s first Marine Energy Park and is a further show of confidence in the region’s renewables sector.

As part of the agreement, Wave Hub, which is now owned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, will match-fund some of Ocean Energy’s costs, up to a maximum of £1 million.

Wave Hub is a £35 million wave energy device testing facility that offers developers the chance to trial equipment prior to commercial deployment. It is the world’s largest grid-connected, offshore marine energy test site.

The idea is that the collaboration with Ocean Energy will lead to an agreement where the company takes the second of four berths available on Wave Hub. The scheme’s general manager, Claire Gibson, said: “We would like to think that, once we have done the engineering study, providing that all is well, then we would be signing a commitment agreement (to take a berth) in the spring.”

Johnny Gowdy, programme director at Regen SW, said: “There have been people who have said that Wave Hub is a white elephant, which is rubbish. It’s great that there is now a concrete proposal which will hopefully see some kit in the water this year.”

Anglo-American firm Ocean Power Technologies has previously signed an agreement with Wave Hub to reserve a berth but it is still developing its PowerBuoy device and no date has yet been set for its deployment.

Ocean Energy, in collaboration with its partner Dresser-Rand, expects to deploy a full-scale, 1.5 MW device at Wave Hub by the end of this year. It is now seeking Westcountry firms to build the device.

It will initially deploy a single device but, if this is successful, it would look to plug in multiple devices as this is how a full-scale, commercial wave energy farm would operate.

Ocean Energy has been testing a quarter scale prototype of its device in Galway Bay for the last three years.

As well as completing an engineering study and installing moorings, Ocean Energy will need to secure a marine licence from the Marine Management Organisation.

The tie up with Wave Hub came about after a competition last year for developers who would be able to deploy in 2012.

Ms Gibson said the announcement would raise awareness of Wave Hub amongst developers, increasing the likelihood of the remaining two berths being reserved.

Ocean Energy’s device, called an OE Buoy, uses the oscillating water column principle. As waves enter a sub-sea chamber, they force air through a turbine on the surface, generating electricity. The technology has only one moving part, minimising maintenance costs.