Sweden’s Eco Wave Power is setting its sights on South Africa as the beachhead for a broader African expansion — signing an agreement with Africa Great Future Development Ltd (AGFDL) to begin feasibility studies for a wave energy power station at the Port of Ngqura, near Gqeberha.
For a country still heavily reliant on coal — over 80% of South Africa’s electricity is generated from it — the promise of uninterrupted, ocean-powered electricity presents a bold alternative to the status quo. Eco Wave’s entry could test whether wave energy can fill the persistent power gaps that solar and wind alone have struggled to solve.
Riding the Waves into Africa
Founded in Israel but now headquartered in Stockholm, Eco Wave Power is known for its patented onshore wave energy technology — which captures the motion of nearshore waves using floaters attached to man-made structures like breakwaters, converting it into electricity via hydraulic systems.
The Port of Ngqura — a deep-water harbor adjacent to the Coega Special Economic Zone in South Africa’s Eastern Cape — offers ideal technical conditions. Its breakwaters, managed by Transnet National Ports Authority, are already exposed to robust wave activity.
“This feasibility study represents a meaningful step toward addressing energy access and sustainability in Africa,” said Eco Wave Power CEO and founder Inna Braverman in a statement. “We’re excited to explore the potential of South Africa’s coastline in partnership with AGFDL.”
AGFDL’s leadership sees the partnership as more than just a trial. “We believe this technology could become a critical part of Africa’s renewable energy future,” said Alphonsus Ukah, co-founder and chairman of AGFDL. “It’s about delivering practical, long-term impact — not just pilot hype.”
Can Wave Energy Compete?
While solar energy has dominated Africa’s renewable narrative due to its low costs and scalability, wave power brings something it can’t: consistency. Unlike solar (which only generates power during the day) or wind (which can be erratic), ocean waves provide a more predictable, 24/7 energy source — particularly valuable in coastal regions suffering from baseload shortages.
“Wave energy is more energy-dense and continuous,” said Braverman. “For countries like South Africa with long coastlines and unreliable grid power, it could play a unique role that complements solar, rather than competes with it.”
But she acknowledges the technology isn’t yet a plug-and-play alternative. The upfront costs remain high, and the global wave energy industry is still in early commercialization — with relatively few utility-scale deployments.
Global Momentum, Local Caution
Eco Wave Power already operates a grid-connected wave station in Israel’s Jaffa Port and is preparing to launch its first U.S. project in Los Angeles this September, backed by Shell’s Marine Renewable Energy division. Additional pilot projects are underway in Portugal, Taiwan, and India (in partnership with Bharat Petroleum).
These efforts form part of a 404.7 MW global project pipeline, giving the company growing credibility among global funders, including the European Union and the United Nations, which awarded it a Global Climate Action Award.
Still, feasibility doesn’t mean inevitability. The Ngqura project is at a nascent stage, with no final investment decision made. It will need environmental approvals, grid integration agreements, and — crucially — financial backing to scale from pilot to production.
The Bigger Picture: South Africa’s Energy Crisis
South Africa’s energy insecurity, punctuated by regular load-shedding and aging coal infrastructure, continues to cost the economy billions in lost productivity each year. The government has opened up procurement channels for renewable IPPs (independent power producers), but progress has been mixed.
Some renewable developers have pointed to slow permitting, grid bottlenecks, and opaque procurement policies as barriers to faster scaling.
Wave energy may offer a niche solution rather than a silver bullet — especially in industrial coastal zones like Coega, where grid extensions are costly and demand is growing.
For AGFDL’s Wilfred Emmanuel-Gottlieb, the allure of wave energy lies in its potential to power “both underserved communities and export-oriented industries.”
The real opportunity might lie in combining forces. A hybrid energy mix — leveraging solar during the day, wave at night, and storage for peak flexibility — could offer a blueprint for South Africa’s energy future.
“With solar already cost-effective and wave power maturing, South Africa is in a rare position to experiment with the full renewable toolkit,” said Braverman.
Eco Wave Power’s entry is not a guarantee of transformation. But it is a signal: the African coastline is no longer just a tourist draw — it’s emerging as a critical frontier in the fight for sustainable, sovereign energy systems.