Better Together: How Wave Power Stabilizes Offshore Wind

Offshore wind is a vital clean energy source—but it’s variable. Grid operators often rely on fossil fuels to fill the gaps. Wave power offers a CO₂-free solution, providing stable energy that balances offshore wind’s natural fluctuations.

As global energy demand rises, countries are racing to cut CO₂ emissions by expanding renewables like wind and solar. But wind and solar fluctuate, and power grids were not designed for large-scale intermittency. When demand doesn’t match supply, fossil fuel backups often step in—slowing progress toward clean energy goals.

When electricity demand is mismatched with renewable energy supply, grid operators often turn to fossil fuels to even out the bumps, which can throw them off their emission goals.

Ocean waves roll in 24/7, making them a natural stabilizer for wind energy. When combined, wave and wind power smooth out variability—reducing the need for fossil fuel backups and improving grid reliability.

Ocean waves are a dense clean energy resource that show much less fluctuation over time than wind. They take longer to get going, and longer to stop, so they produce steadier hourly power. Even in a storm, ocean waves produce power more evenly, and are less capricious than wind, which can pick up and die quickly.

When you combine the relatively small peaks and valleys of wave power with the larger ones of wind energy, you find they are often complementary; when one is slowing, the other is speeding up. This means that together they can provide a more stable supply of renewable energy for the electric grid.

Combining offshore wind and wave energy power park unlocks efficiencies —shared permitting, common subsea cables, and optimized sea space. This approach reduces costs while preserving more coastal areas for fishing, tourism, and marine ecosystems..

Nature itself operates by having several systems working at once—filling in for and strengthening each other. Solar radiation creates the wind that generates waves, but all these clean energy sources operate at different times, creating unique climates for each location. Working with nature offers the best hope for a clean energy power grid. Seabased is excited about opportunities to expand commercialization of wave power together with offshore wind, both for new projects and as a supplement to existing ones. Our modular plug-and-play, wave-to-grid design makes this natural grid stabilizer possible.

The result? More renewable energy, a more stable grid, and less reliance on fossil fuels. Communities gain affordable, predictable electricity. Grid operators meet their targets. And the planet benefits from cleaner power and lower emissions.