French water pendulum tech makes ocean waves a reliable power source

French startup Seaturns has secured $2.9 million in funding to advance and industrialize its innovative wave energy technology, aimed at converting ocean wave motion into reliable electricity. The Bordeaux-based company plans to deploy a full-scale demonstrator at the SEM-REV offshore test site in summer 2025, initiate industrial-scale production, and expand its commercialization globally. The funding round, led by the climate tech platform Keenest and supported by over 1,500 individual investors and institutional backers, will accelerate Seaturns’ efforts to bring its patented, cost-efficient wave energy converter (WEC) to market. Seaturns’ technology features a cylindrical WEC that harnesses the horizontal surge motion of ocean swells, converting it into a pitching motion via a patented anchoring system. Inside the converter, a water pendulum and two air chambers generate airflow that drives a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity. The device is designed for simplified offshore installation, low maintenance, and reduced environmental impact