HACE

HACE (Hydro Air Concept Energy) is a French company focused on generating electricity from ocean waves. Founded in July 2013 by Jean-Luc Stanek, a former dental surgeon with a background in science and innovation, the company is developing a patented wave energy converter (WEC). Stanek, who has fully dedicated himself to HACE since 2017, reportedly sold his house to fund the venture, showcasing a significant personal commitment to solving energy challenges.

The company's core technology utilizes a system of multiple oscillating water columns (OWCs). As waves pass, they cause water to rise and fall within vertical, semi-submerged tubes. This movement alternately compresses and decompresses air in a chamber, which is then directed through a unidirectional turbine to generate electricity. A key feature of HACE's design is its asserted ability to generate power from very small waves, starting from just 5-10 cm high, which could allow for more consistent energy production compared to systems requiring larger swells. The electricity generated can be injected into the grid via a cable or used on-site to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis.

HACE has progressed through several milestones, including raising over €250,000 via crowdfunding in 2016 and another €700,000 in 2017 to build a prototype. In August 2018, the company deployed a 50kW prototype in the Port of La Rochelle for testing. While this prototype later partially sank, the company reported collecting encouraging data and planned to continue trials. The project gained further notice in 2021 when it was proposed as an alternative to a wind farm project in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc. More recently, HACE has initiated partnerships, including one with HACEOSLAR Maldives to provide power and desalination solutions and another with maritime service provider AMS to explore green hydrogen for fleet fuel. A public demonstrator is planned for September 2025 in Marseille in collaboration with Bouygues Énergies & Services.

The company targets a wide range of clients, from industrial sites and port zones to remote communities reliant on diesel generators. By offering modular and scalable systems from 10 to 200 kW, HACE aims to provide a locally manufactured and maintained energy solution. The business model appears to be based on the sale of these WEC systems. The company promotes its technology as having a very low carbon footprint and the potential to produce green hydrogen at a competitive cost.

Keywords: wave energy converter, oscillating water column, marine renewable energy, green hydrogen production, Jean-Luc Stanek, low-swell power generation, decentralized energy, offshore power, coastal energy solutions, sustainable desalination, martillac, bouygues énergies & services, hydro air concept energy, houlomoteur, clean electricity, ocean power, low-carbon energy, fabless manufacturing, renewable energy prototype, marine technology, alternative energy, energy for island nations, port infrastructure power, smart grids integration, marine ecosystem preservation