By Riley Kaminer
The ocean holds immense, untapped potential for renewable energy.
The question? How to harness it in a cost-effective way.
That’s what top of mind for Rodrigo Griesi, founder of NEPTUNYA Ocean Power. And he believes his company has cracked the code.
“Energy is out there,” he told Refresh Miami. “The problem isn’t availability, it’s the cost of converting it into useful power.” His solution? OCTOPODZ, a cutting-edge device designed to harness both wind and wave energy.
Griesi’s journey with NEPTUNYA began with a broad goal: to explore every possible source of ocean energy, from currents to waves to wind. But after two years of intensive research, the team decided to narrow their focus to wind and wave power.
“80% of ocean power resources come from wind, and 15% from waves,” he explained. “Focusing on those two gives us access to 95% of the potential energy.”
What sets OCTOPODZ apart is its dual-energy design. By combining wind and wave power into a single device, NEPTUNYA maximizes the time the system generates electricity, addressing a key limitation of renewable energy sources like solar.
“Sometimes you have wind, sometimes you have waves. By integrating both, we increase the capacity factor: how many hours a day the device is productive,” Griesi said. This innovation boosts efficiency while also better aligning with real-world energy consumption patterns.
The road to this breakthrough wasn’t easy. With funding from a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation, NEPTUNYA developed the second version of their prototype.
“The grant helped us validate our numerical models and bench prototypes,” Griesi said. The next step is an ambitious one: building a full-scale prototype for open-sea testing, a two-year project requiring significant investment and an expanded team.
Griesi’s vision extends beyond engineering. OCTOPODZ’s substructure doubles as an artificial reef, creating habitats for marine life and supporting biodiversity. “Anything you put in the ocean becomes a hub for marine life,” he said. “We’re designing it to target specific species and support research, using the device itself as a platform for environmental study.”
NEPTUNYA’s mission is particularly impactful for remote islands and communities with limited access to reliable electricity. In places like the Bahamas, where electricity costs are three times higher than in Florida, OCTOPODZ offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to diesel generators.
“Electricity access is directly tied to human development,” Griesi noted. “By reducing costs and providing clean energy, we’re not just addressing environmental challenges but also improving quality of life.”
Griesi is optimistic about the future, not just for NEPTUNYA but for the role marine energy can play in the global transition to renewables.
“We’re eager to move out of the lab and into the ocean,” he said, reflecting on his team’s determination to make OCTOPODZ a reality. With partnerships from organizations like Florida Atlantic University and NextEra Energy, and the support of government agencies, he believes that the company is well-positioned to take its next big step.
“We’re not only reducing carbon emissions but also creating marine habitats, empowering communities, and driving innovation in renewable energy,” he said. “It’s about finding harmony between technology and nature.”
Pictured at the top of this post and below: These renderings show what OCTOPODZ could look like once it’s deployed.
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- Seaworthy Collective raises new funds and joins NOAA’s $13.9M BlueTech initiative
- Climatetech startup SustainaBase acquired by global giant ISS-Corporate in sustainability push
- South Florida’s tech hub is officially ClimateReady, with $19.5M federal grant in tow
- 1Print is commercializing the technology that could 3D concrete print us out of our climate woes
- Q&A with Danielle Mousseau on FPL’s plans to keep Florida’s edge as a global entrepreneurship hub
- Ocean power! Serial entrepreneur sets up shop in Boca to develop renewable energy startup
- Dishio raises $2.5M to help restaurants turn diners into loyal customers - May 7, 2026
- It started on a Broward bike ride. Now he’s taking on AI’s biggest inefficiency. - May 7, 2026
- Subquadratic raised $29M on the idea that it has cracked AI’s biggest math problem. Now comes the hard part. - May 6, 2026