Dr. Jean-Luc Stanek
Executive President / CEO
Knight of Maritime Merit
ZESTAs Member 2026 · Station F Winner 2025 · Golden Hydrogen 2024
Wave energy competitive and ultra low-carbon
We turn waves into electricity. Clean, competitive, available 24/7.
The HACE approach
Why wave energy converters fail.
And why HACE succeeds.
Three fundamental breakthroughs that change the economics of wave energy.
Profitability
The problem
Current wave energy converters poorly adapt to varying wave conditions. Sized for a narrow range, they underperform in calm seas and shut down in rough ones. Result: low capacity factor and energy costs that never come down.
Profitability
The HACE solution
Every system is custom-designed for its specific site to maximize capacity factor — the key to economic viability. Low electricity cost is a direct consequence of this approach.
Intermittency
The problem
Intermittency is the Achilles' heel of all renewable energy: solar, wind, and current wave converters all stop or go into protection mode the moment conditions exceed their operating range. Every hour of downtime drops the capacity factor and makes the business model unsustainable.
Intermittency
The HACE solution
HACE produces in the worst conditions — cyclones, rogue waves, tsunamis. The rougher the sea, the higher the output. The system is unsinkable and designed to last over 50 years.
Scalability
The problem
The complexity of some wave energy converters prevents mass deployment. They require heavy, expensive equipment — high-capacity cranes, specialized vessels, custom components.
Scalability
The HACE solution
HACE can be built in any shipyard, without heavy equipment. Oscillating water columns in standard steel, industrial mass-production approach. Over 95% recyclable.
The consequences of this approach
< 3g
CO₂eq/kWh
full lifecycle
full lifecycle
< 15€
/MWh · large farms (North Sea)
50–90%
Capacity factor
(internal models)
(internal models)
Validated in real conditions
Sea trials — the proof
10 cm waves. Turbine at full speed.
Prototype 2 · Open sea · 2019
First sea trial. Wave resistance and electricity production validated.
Prototype 3 · Atlantic · 2023 — 1/10 scale module
Target market
A global potential
with strong demand
Wave energy addresses concrete, creditworthy and growing markets on every coastline in the world.
29 500 TWh/an
Global wave energy resource
Theoretical potential estimated by the IEA. Global electricity consumption is about 25,000 TWh/year. Wave energy alone could meet that demand.
2 milliards
People living within 100 km of a coastline
Islands, coastal areas, developing countries: structural demand for decarbonized energy and fresh water through desalination.
3% des émissions GES
Shipping to decarbonize
IMO and EU regulations underway. HACE provides "Absolute Zero" energy for ports, H₂ bunkering and shore power.
Priority markets
Europe, Islands, Africa, Pacific
Island territories (diesel cost 300-500€/MWh), European Atlantic coasts, African coastlines, Caribbean and South Pacific.
Hydrogen ecosystem
The keys to competitive
green hydrogen
A strategic partnership bringing together the best technologies to enable a complete, competitive H₂ value chain.
Step 1
HACE — Clean electricity
Stable, non-intermittent, ultra low-carbon energy (from 15€/MWh, < 3g eqCO₂/kWh) to power electrolyzers continuously.
›
Step 2 — H₂ production
Electrolyzer — Who produces the H₂?
The electrolyzer is operated by the industrial client or a certified partner. HACE provides the ideal energy to run it at full capacity, continuously, at the lowest possible cost.
›
Step 3
SHZ — Revolutionary storage
H₂ tanks 20× lighter than existing: 1 ton of tank per 1 ton of H₂ transported. Revolutionizes logistics.
›
Step 4
H2X — Auxiliary solutions
Auxiliary solutions for green H₂ use. Decarbonization of land, sea and air transport.
›
Step 5
ZESTAs — Zero-emission shipping
Global alliance of 50+ actors. HACE provides "Absolute Zero" energy for ships and ports.
Dual purpose
Coastal protection
against erosion
Wave phase-shifting
Eliminates the main factors responsible for coastal erosion by phase-shifting water molecule orbitals.
Sand replenishment
Promotes natural beach sediment replenishment, without artificial intervention.
Ecosystem preservation
No polluting fluids, zero concrete, bio-dynamic anchoring. Positive impact on biodiversity.
Dual value
Énergie + coastal protection réduit le coût par usage. Digues flottantes, marinas, installations côtières.
Recognition
11 years of awards and distinctions
2026
ZESTAs Member · Absolute Zero Shipping
2025
Station F Winner — FSF
2024
Golden Hydrogen · Smart Port Marseille
2021
Packwave Phase 1 · Winner
2020
1st Prize · European Commission
2019
1st Innovation Prize · EU Commission
2018
Double Winner
2017
Winner
2015
Winner · HACE Founded
Testimonials
Those who support the project
"HACE technology integrates perfectly into our port energy transition strategy. Its social acceptance and respect for biodiversity are major assets."
Operational partner
"HACE goes further by providing fresh water and preventing coastal erosion. ZESTAs is delighted to partner with visionaries who address both mitigation and adaptation to climate change within a single technology."
Secretary General — ZESTAs
« En tant que professionnels de la mer, nous voyons dans HACE une solution compatible avec nos activités. La coastal protection est un bonus considérable. »
Coastal stakeholder
"HACE represents a major advance in marine renewable energy. Its ability to produce competitive green hydrogen opens considerable industrial perspectives."
Regional support
FAQ
Understanding HACE
HACE uses the Multiple Oscillating Water Columns principle. Waves enter open chambers underwater, compress air through one-way valves, creating a continuous airflow that drives a turbine. The system works like a piston engine powered by waves, optimized across the entire swell spectrum.
Yes. HACE captures energy from all waves, even chaotic ones, from 5 cm to over 30 m. Unsinkable, resistant to cyclones, rogue waves and tsunamis. Validated lifespan over 50 years through calculations and numerical simulations.
Under 3g eqCO₂/kWh over full lifecycle. Comparison: solar ~40g, wind ~11g, nuclear ~6g. HACE achieves this through 95% recyclable steel construction, without concrete.
LCOE from 15€/MWh for large well-located farms (North Sea, Iroise). As with solar or wind, the final price depends on installation size, site and grid connection. The high capacity factor (50-90% depending on site) and site-specific design are the keys to this competitiveness.
Stable non-intermittent production ideal for continuous electrolyzers. Result: green H₂ under 2€/kg. In partnership with SHZ (20x lighter storage) and H2X (end-use ecosystems).
Minimal impact: zero concrete, no polluting fluids, under 5 m above water, bio-dynamic anchoring. Bonus: active coastal erosion protection and natural beach replenishment.
Leadership team
Recognized experts
Engineers, PhDs, offshore experts. Polytechnique, Supaéro, HEC, Centrale, SUPELEC, ENSAM, CNRS, MIT, ENA, Stanford…
Christian Pages
R&D Director
Ex-Airbus · Aerodynamics expert
Operational team
Jean-Luc Barou
R&D Expert
Guillaume Langlois
Offshore operations expert
Stephan Guglieri
Financial expert
Me Adrien Bonnet
Legal expert
Nicolas Guignard
Industrial expert
Pierre Doutreloux
Commercial director
Bernard Roussely
IT & Cybersecurity director
Join the marine
energy revolution
Investors, industrial partners, communities: join the HACE project.
Contact
Let's talk
Dr. Jean-Luc Stanek
Executive President / CEO — Knight of Maritime Merit
hacewaveenergy.com
Technopole Montesquieu1 Allée Jean Rostand
33650 Martillac, France