Evaluatingthe overall advantages of a new configuration of wave energy technologies goes beyond techno-economic performance and reliability. As the marine renewable energy sector expands, it is important toensure that the technologies prove to be environmentally friendly alternatives. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment was conducted on a novel energy converter (LiftWEC) to evaluate its potential cumulative impacts. The global warming potential was characterized, indicating that the configuration could be a potential low-carbon alternative compared with many wave energy devices and conventional forms of energy production. The carbon and energy payback time were also analysed to estimate the time requiredto offset the carbon emission and demanded energy. This assessment highlighted the impact of the characteristic energy mixprofileand energy production potential of the deployment regionon the results obtained. The study also analysed alternative scenarios of materials, deployment locations, and end-of-life strategies to identify potential improvement opportunities to reduce the environmental impacts.