JOBS WAVE: Innovative sea-powered electricity project

www.standard.net.au
02 Mar, 2010

A power station using wave energy has been announced for Port Fairy, adding another renewable energy source to Moyne Shire's reputation as the state's green district. Up to 200 new jobs would be created in developing what could be the nation's first commercial wave-powered electricity generation plant. It will use Australian-designed technology, in which balloon-shaped devices attached to a hinged base on the ocean floor sway with the waves like seaweed to spin generators.

They would be anchored in about 30 metres of water less than a kilometre from the shore and linked to an undersea cable leading to a substation and fed into the state's power grid. A site off the Port Fairy west abalone farm has been selected for the innovative project, which is scheduled to start with a small pilot generator. It has the capacity to be expanded into a multi-million-dollar power station producing enough electricity for 55,000 households. Preliminary evaluation started 18 months ago. Detailed appraisals and approval applications will gather pace in the next few months. It could be built by next year.

The Port Fairy project could be in production ahead of another planned wave energy generator announced for Portland at least a year ago. Yesterday's announcement by Sydney-based BioPower Systems, in conjunction with Melbourne-based Diamond Energy and Port Fairy-based Southern Ocean Mariculture, came as Australia's largest energy retailer, AGL Energy Ltd, revived plans to build the $800 million Macarthur windfarm.

Moyne Mayor James Purcell said there were already $6 billion worth of renewable energy projects on the books for the municipality. "We will have a quarter of the state's major projects going on here," he said. "There are already three power stations, 15 to 20 wind farms and geothermal possibilities. "When they are all up and operating it will bring in millions in extra rates and make us a very wealthy municipality. "However, it will create huge short-term social disturbances in our communities and put a massive workload on our small strategic planning staff."

BioPower said it had secured land access, onshore development rights and intellectual property for the project. "This stretch of coastline is well known around the world as a premier location for wave energy development," said the company's chief executive Timothy Finnigan. "The strength and consistency of the swell is phenomenal.'' He said the initial stage would have one 250-kW generator producing enough electricity for 200 households.

It will power the abalone farm and surplus electricity will be fed into the grid. If it proves successful an array of larger one MW units will be added expanding up to 100 kWs. He would not enlarge on financial commitments, but said the large power generators would cost tens of millions of dollars. Dr Finnigan said the company could build more wave generator plants in Australia and overseas with the technology. "We are hoping for some Victorian Government funding," he said. Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings' office said the Government was committed to changing the energy mix through projects such as wave, wind and solar energy.

BioPower Systems has been told to seek advice on whether an environmental effects statement referral may be required. Southern Ocean Mariculture general manager Mark Gervis said his company had approached the wave energy proponents because it wanted its high-energy use plant to be carbon positive. "We felt wave energy was the most appropriate way," he said. "It's still at the very early stages but we are excited by the project."