Monday 1 February 2010

Australia’s first commercial scale wave energy project launched

ecogeneration.com.au
January 29, 2010

Wave energy developer Carnegie Corporation Wave Energy has formally launched its Perth Wave Energy Project, the first commercial-scale wave energy unit to be deployed in Australia. Western Australian Minister for Energy Peter Collier attended the launch, which was held at Carnegie Corporation's Wave Energy Facility in Fremantle.

When completed, the commercial demonstration project will have a capacity of 5 MW, enough to power 3,500 homes and prevent 500,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Stage one of the project has already commenced, involving the installation of a single stand-alone commercial scale CETO unit and data telemetry buoy in the Sepia Depression, between Garden Island and Five Fathom Bank.

The system will remain there for twelve months, during which periodic inspections and maintenance will take place. The CETO system is unique as it operates while submerged in the water, anchored to the ocean floor. The project will use Carnegie Corporation's $12.5 million Low Emissions Energy Development grant from the Western Australian government, which was announced earlier this year. Detailed cost and design activities associated with stage two of the project will be undertaken later this year, with construction and commissioning scheduled for 2011.

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