Waves of Innovation: Transforming Waves into Power

Today our wind wave turned towards the ocean, as we sat down with Prof. Abdus Samad, a leading researcher at IIT Madras in the Department of Ocean Engineering. At the forefront of projects that harness India’s vast marine resources for sustainable energy and national defence. He shared with us the story of Sindhuja-I — a pioneering wave energy project he has been closely involved in—along with insights from other ocean initiatives shaping India’s blue future. Let’s hear from him as he takes us through the journey of Sindhuja-I, its significance for India’s coastal ambitions under the Sagarmala programme, and why he believes this is the perfect time for startups to dive into the blue economy.

Prof. Samad:

I have been working on Sindhuja-1 for many years, but things really took off in 2019. That was when IIT Madras signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) with a startup VPE Pvt. Ltd. With this collaboration and the support of initial national and international grants, we were finally able to give shape to the project Sindhuja-1 and move it forward.

With that, we began experiments. First, we tested our wave energy system in the wave basin facility at IIT Madras in a simulated ocean-like environment. But, testing and predicting the ocean in the lab is very challenging, so we planned for sea trials. Our first trial was at Tuticorin port, India. We worked closely with local fishermen for deployment—not strictly following international norms but instead drawing on local talent and support. The device was deployed about 6 km from the coast at depths of around 20 meters. Later, in 2023, we carried out further trials at Vizag port, India.

After the successful sea trials, securing funds became the next big challenge in developing a scaled-up version of Sindhuja-1. Thankfully, with the support of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Naval Research Board (NRB), we were able to move forward.

Now, the technology is being used for sea surveillance and sea water desalination systems. India has nearly 10,000 km of coastline, and manned surveillance alone is not very effective. With unmanned, AI-based camera systems and central monitoring, the effectiveness can be improved significantly. A DRDO lab, is now exploring how to make this sustainable—by powering sensors and cameras directly with electricity generated from wave energy. We are also working on a desalination system to purify seawater and developing innovative solutions to address the high-power demand of desalination, especially in areas with limited or unreliable electricity. Desalination requires a lot of energy because seawater has about 35,000 ppm of salt compared to around 1,500 ppm in regular saline water. Sindhuja-1 can play a key role in making this possible. The Sindhuja-1 project has collaborators such as Prof. Abhijit Chaudhuri, Department of Applied Mechanics and Bio-medical Engineering, IIT Madras and Prof Akshoy Ranjan Paul of MNNIT-Allahabad.

We are working on surveillance cameras, image stabilization techniques with AI, battery management systems, different sensor suites, and communication modules. Our system is being designed to handle tough conditions like rain and fog, and it can also transmit ship-approach data to the onshore control centre. Our B.Tech. students are contributing on the programming side and image capturing.

Wave energy is highly fluctuating, so we need electrical systems that can filter the peaks, store power in batteries, and then use it to run sensors and cameras. The choice of material for building the systems and subsystems of Sindhuja-1 is also critical—whether nylon, plastic, or other options that can withstand corrosion, high stress, and the unpredictable nature of the ocean.

We began with a small device, but now we are working with a buoy of 3m diameter, with a target of producing 1 kW of power. The device harnesses the ocean energy and generates electricity and charges its own battery. However, challenges remain—such as theft and interference from fishing activities. That’s why monitoring and surveillance are also part of our plan.

The team has now grown to over 20 members—M.S. and Ph.D. research scholars, interns, industry representatives, and professors—working together on each field deployment, which requires significant effort, resources, and coordination. Before ocean testing, the devices go through splash tests and other trials. The current buoys, to be supplied by a collaborator, Tridel Technologies Pvt. Ltd., are designed to last about six months. Transportation is another challenge—they are heavy, need to be dismantled, and require trucks and cranes. We are working closely with port authorities for deployment. We also hope that the Sagarmala or other government initiative programmes can support such initiatives, as it would be a great boost for ocean-related startups.

Unexpected challenges keep coming—like water leakage into buoys or devices exposed to harsh winds. Compared to solar, wave energy has an advantage: it is more consistently available at sea. In countries like Korea, underwater turbines are already being used to harness the ocean’s tidal energy. But any renewable energy is still expensive, and fossil fuels remain cheaper. Yet, in the future, the tides may turn—and tidal and wave energy could become more economical. However, areas such as discrete islands or utility-based applications in the ocean need these technologies.

India is still far from mastering tidal and wave energy. Beyond funding, delivering technologies to the government also requires significant experience, which is a challenge. Breaking projects into smaller parts helps. At present, many ocean-related technologies are imported, but under the Make in India initiative, startups have an opportunity to focus on AI-based monitoring, buoys, offshore control, and related technologies. With the right vision and business alignment, organizations are willing to extend their support.

Technically, we ensure the device stays hydrodynamically stable in water. At this stage, the technology is still under testing, and we are looking for more skilled staff to strengthen the team. Going forward, AI integration will be essential across ports, ships, and surveillance systems.

Our biggest challenge continues to be funding. Limited resources often delay deployment. On the technical side, we also face challenges in areas like electrical systems, AI integration, and compliance with coastal regulations.

Looking Back: Key Experiences

I still remember November 15th, 2022, when we were preparing for ocean deployment. We had started work in August, and by November, it was the middle of the monsoon. The team was so enthusiastic working overnight, pulling all-nighters to get everything ready. For the Tuticorin deployment, road transportation was too expensive, so we arranged local rail transport instead.

At the site, we faced several problems. The company responsible for port permissions was facing difficulty; our team had already arrived at the port, and the weather was bad—everyone was panicking. We had limited funds, so staying at the port for a longer period could make us bankrupt. Somehow, we managed to get the permission for testing and waited for the weather to clear. There was a conflict between our team and the deployment partner. Finally, they decided not to test and come back. This decision gave me ample frustration as we had spent so many sleepless nights, working in the lab, collecting funds, and travelling all the way to Tuticorin. And another fear was that I had to respond to the funding agency with what I did with the money they gave me.

Finally, some of our team members were successful in resolving the conflict. And finally, we shouted with joy, the system danced in the ocean, producing power. We saw the sea power- power from waves.

“Every wave of challenge we crossed only pushed us closer to the shore of success.”