Backed by InnoEnergy, Equinox Ocean Turbines (EQOT) is taking a significant step towards the commercialisation of ocean current energy with the upcoming open-water testing of its 1:10 scale prototype, Mobula® 5. The milestone marks a key validation phase of the company’s technology and supports its current round.
“With Mobula® 5, we are moving from simulation to real-world validation. This is a crucial step in demonstrating that ocean current energy can deliver reliable, utility-scale baseload power at competitive cost,” said Pieter de Haas, CEO and CTO of EQOT. “We are now at a stage where we can offer investors a clearly defined pathway towards commercial deployment.”
Construction of the Mobula® 5 prototype is currently underway, with open-water testing scheduled for the end of June 2026. The test represents a proof-of-principle demonstration under real ocean conditions and is expected to achieve a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6.
With its technology, EQOT aims to unlock a largely untapped energy source: continuous ocean currents. Unlike intermittent renewables, the company’s solution is designed to deliver reliable baseload power, with a cost structure competitive with offshore wind. This positions ocean current energy as a scalable and predictable complement to existing renewable energy systems.
Building on this milestone, the company just opened a new funding round to accelerate the transition from validated design to a full-scale product demonstrator at TRL 8 in 2028. The funding will be used to mitigate key technical, regulatory and commercial risks, paving the way for long-term deployment planned for 2030. The outcome will be a de-risked, reference-ready turbine technology with a clear path towards scalable commercial deployment.
As an investor and strategic partner, InnoEnergy supports EQOT in advancing its technology towards commercial readiness and scaling its market entry. The upcoming milestone reflects the continued progress of the company within InnoEnergy’s portfolio of innovative clean energy solutions.
EQOT is focusing its business development efforts on high-potential coastal markets, including Japan, South Africa and the east coast of the United States, where strong ocean current resources and growing demand for reliable clean energy create favorable conditions for deployment.
“Ocean current energy has the potential to become a key pillar of the future energy system by providing predictable, baseload renewable power,” said Jacob Ruiter, CEO Benelux and UK at InnoEnergy. “EQOT is demonstrating strong progress towards commercialization, and we are excited to support this next development phase.”
Learn more about EQOT here.
