Wave energy specialists Mocean Energy and TEXO Engineering & Fabrication (TEXO E&F) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for TEXO E&F to become Mocean’s preferred fabrication, assembly and load-out contractor for its Blue Star and Blue Horizon wave energy converters.

Aberdeen headquartered TEXO E&F was chosen by Mocean Energy after a competitive tendering process and is already providing technical support to design Mocean Energy’s products for manufacture. The intention is that a formal fabrication and assembly contract will be agreed, following design completion.

Mocean Energy is based in Edinburgh and Aberdeen and specialises in designing and delivering wave energy converters to power ocean equipment and the grid with clean, carbon-free, renewable energy.

They are developing two wave energy technologies: Blue Star, a device that will power a range of subsea equipment, including autonomous vehicles and control systems; and Blue Horizon, a much larger machine designed to generate grid-scale electricity in off-coast wave farms.

Following the successful first deployment of their BlueX prototype demonstrator in Orkney in 2021, Mocean has this month deployed Blue X in the seas off Orkney and connected with a Halo underwater battery developed by Aberdeen intelligent energy management specialists Verlume. 

The £2million demonstrator project, called Renewables for Subsea Power (RSP), brings together consortium partners including Verlume, Baker Hughes, Serica Energy, Harbour Energy, Transmark Subsea, and Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC).

Cameron McNatt, Managing Director of Mocean Energy, said: "TEXO E&F has a tremendous track record of the manufacture of complex technology for the offshore environment and is the ideal partner to fabricate our next-generation machines.

"From the beginning, our technology has been made in Scotland, and through selecting TEXO E&F we are ensuring our supply chain remains home grown. This underscores the wider economic benefits a thriving wave energy sector can bring to Scotland and the UK,” McNatt concludes. 

"We are delighted to be working with Mocean on its cutting-edge wave energy technology,” said Donny Marshall, Divisional Director at TEXO E&F. "Their Blue Star product is currently in its design to manufacture phase and is being tailored to be built at our dedicated fabrication facility in Dundee.”

With engineering and design input from TEXO E&F, manufacturing will be easier, more cost effective and achievable with existing facilities.

"Our work with Mocean is already building a fantastic partnership between the two companies,” adds Marshall. 

"Harnessing wave power is an exciting way to generate renewable energy, and both our companies are ideally placed to work together to make this technology a successful commercial reality. TEXO E&F having the engineering and design capabilities along with the fabrication requirements for Mocean made it a great fit from the outset and our Project Manager Stewart Kerr’s technical knowledge and experience particularly in this area was a fundamental element which was evident during the tender process.”

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