Energy from ocean waves off the coast of Spain will be captured and converted into electricity using Australian technology.
Carnegie Clean Energy's subsidiary Ceto Wave Energy Ireland has been awarded a $6.3 million contract under the EuropeWave renewable energy program.
The West Australian company's subsidiary will help push the ocean energy sector towards the European Commission's installation targets of 100 megawatts by 2025 and one gigawatt by 2030.
Far from testing grounds near Fremantle on the WA coast, the wave energy converter will be generating in waters off the Basque Country by 2025.
"Solar and wind are currently doing the heavy lifting when it comes to greening the grid, but the system needs something more predictable and consistent added into the portfolio," Carnegie Clean Energy CEO Jonathan Fievez said.
"When the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow, wave energy keeps rolling in."
Named after a Greek sea goddess, Ceto uses a submerged buoy that sits a few metres below the surface of the ocean, absorbing the wave energy and converting it into zero-emission electricity.
From a field of 36 in a competitive tender, the technology finished with the number one ranking.
"This is an energy source that has almost zero emissions and the potential to fulfil the energy needs of the global population," Mr Fievez said.
It is also less visible than offshore wind turbines, which have been part of Europe's energy mix for decades and are set to be added to Australia's coastline by 2030.
"Unlike many ocean technologies, our technology is fully submerged and therefore invisible from the shoreline," he said.
"This means it doesn't face the potential social license challenges other forms of generation face."
As it is modular, the system can also be scaled up.
By 2050, ocean energy is expected to provide 10 per cent of current electricity needs for the United Kingdom and Europe, and 400,000 jobs in Europe alone.
The project will run until May 2026 at the open-water facilities of the Biscay Marine Energy Platform in Spain.
