Sunday 24 July 2011

Hydro waves farewell to ocean electricity

Hobart Mercury
21 July 2011, Page: 19

Hydro Tasmania yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to wind power but not ocean wave energy. The Tasmanian owned electricity generator has chosen not to accept an invitation from Sydney company Oceanlinx to participate in wave energy developments on King Island. Oceanlinx has developed a semisubmerged box structure that uses the up and down motion of waves to suck and blow air through a turbine.

It already has demonstrator units operating off Australia's east coast and it is selling power into a grid. Oceanlinx chief technology officer Tom Denniss said the company's efforts to introduce wave energy to King Island were supported by the local council and community. Mr Denniss said Hydro indicated that it was only prepared to buy wave energy at times when it couldn't get enough power from its wind and solar generators to meet the island's needs. He said on that basis it was impossible for Oceanlinx to finance a wave unit.

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