Checkmate Flexible Engineering has been awarded a £750,000 grant from Innovate UK to accelerate the development of its Lobe-Tendon Anaconda wave energy converter, a device designed to generate renewable electricity from ocean waves.
The 18-month initiative, named Môr Neidr—Welsh for “sea snake”—aims to enhance the technology’s readiness for open-water testing and further position Southwest Wales as a centre for marine renewable innovation. The project builds on two years of internal development and will be delivered in collaboration with Swansea University, CGEN Engineering, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, and consultancy Wave Venture.
“This grant allows us to accelerate the Anaconda’s development and build on the innovation our team has already delivered, with a clear path toward future sea trials,” said Paul Auston, Director at Checkmate Flexible Engineering. “It’s an exciting step forward, not just for Checkmate, but for the future of wave energy in Wales and the Celtic Sea, where we see enormous potential to deliver clean, predictable power at scale.”
The Anaconda device uses a patented bulge-tube design made of reinforced natural rubber and hundreds of high-performance rubber tendons. As waves travel along the flexible structure, pressure bulges move through the tube toward a power take-off system that converts the energy into electricity. The system can be tuned for maximum power generation or resilience in severe sea conditions.
The funding will support the construction of a 1:4-scale prototype, alongside numerical modelling, materials testing, and tank trials. Testing will culminate in sea trials at the Welsh Marine Energy Test Area (META) in Pembrokeshire.
Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns, KCB, CBE, KStJ, DL, welcomed the announcement: “As a former seafarer, I am fully aware of the power of the sea and the as yet untapped potential for harnessing wave energy. Having followed Anaconda’s progress over many years… I am delighted that this truly innovative project will now be able to take the next big step towards delivering clean, renewable energy at full scale.”
Dr Brian Mathew, MP and member of the Marine Energy All-Party Parliamentary Group, added: “I welcome this exciting news, and I’m pleased to see innovative solutions on renewable energy like this being well supported and funded.”
Checkmate said the project will also generate new research infrastructure for the broader wave energy sector. The company estimates that large-scale wave power development in the Celtic Sea could contribute up to £1 billion to the Welsh economy by 2050.
