In old seafarer tradition, SINN Power launched into the wave energy season at the Port of Heraklion by shattering a bottle of champagne. From today, long-term tests of the wave energy converter module have begun to measure the generated electricity and evaluate the long-term functionality of the components.
The inauguration ceremony took place in familiar atmosphere at the end of the breakwater wall of Heraklion’s port. Invited were SINN Power’s most important supporters and partners. On the German side, this included the German investors and the grant givers at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy as well as the German-Greek Association (DGV) and the German Embassy in Athens.
Guests of honor on the Greek side were the current and the former port CEOs, Apollon Filippis and Ioannis Bras, who had significantly pushed the unique project forward. In his address, Filippis praised the project for fitting seamlessly into the energy strategy of the island: “Crete is so rich in natural resources. I am very happy that we can now use the infinite energy of the waves at the Port of Heraklion as well.” He added in a press release that under his leadership, the Port Authorities would continue to support the plans to expand the use of renewable energy in any way possible.
For tourism and research, Cretans also expect a lot of benefits from the wave energy project. For this reason, Gian Andrea Garancini, Vice Mayor for Tourism of Heraklion, and Nikolaos Kampanis, Head of the Laboratory of Coastal Research & Applications (LCRA), assured SINN Power of their support in the expansion of the wave energy projects on Crete.
SINN Power currently plans to install a floating wave energy converter for further tests by the end of the year. At the same time, SINN Power and the Heraklion Port Authorities have applied for EU funds to install additional modules at the port. CEO Philipp Sinn is eager to continue: “Since last year, we have experienced so much support and enthusiasm on Crete. We cannot wait to launch additional projects with our Greek partners.”