Wave power in Australia
File:Renewable Energy Atlas of Australia - Highest Wave Power.png
Wave power in Australia is being developed as the country has a long and largely deep-water coastline. It is one of several regions of the world where wave power projects are being considered. Australia has great potential for wave energy because strong Southern Ocean winds generate consistently large waves ideal for wave energy production.{{cite web |url=https://www.csiro.au/en/research/natural-environment/oceans/Wave-energy |title=Wave Energy in Australia |date=22 February 2022 |website=CSIRO |access-date=25 November 2023 }} The main challenges are capital cost and withstanding damage from harsh ocean conditions.{{cite web |url=https://arena.gov.au/renewable-energy/ocean/ |title=Ocean energy |date=8 August 2022 |website=Australian Renewable Energy Agency |access-date=25 November 2023 }}
Projects
In early 2015 the Perth wave energy project was commissioned.
Ocean Power Technologies (Australasia) is developing a 19 megawatts wave power station connected to the grid near Portland, Victoria. The project has received an $66.46 million grant from the federal government of Australia.(13 July 2012) [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-13/wave-energy-project-promises-jobs-boost/4128666 Wave energy project promises jobs boost]. ABC News. Retrieved on 25 November 2023.
Oceanlinx is trialling a wave energy system at Port Kembla - Thousands of air filled balloons are submerged under water and energy is collected by the changes in the depth of the water column changing the pressure in the balloons.
A wave power project is being developed at Douglas Point, South Australia.(16 February 2009) [http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=322 Wave Power Project for South Australia]. Energy Matters. Retrieved on 25 November 2023.
BioPower Systems are developing their bioWAVE system anchored to the seabed that would generate electricity through the movement of buoyant blades as waves pass, in a swaying motion similar to the way sea plants, such as kelp, move. It expects to complete pilot wave and tidal projects off northern Tasmania this year.{{cite web |title=FACTBOX-Main renewables being developed in Australia |website=Reuters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424062954/https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP405193 |archive-date=2023-04-24 |url-status=live |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP405193}}
Inside Western Australia, Carnegie Wave Energy are refining a technology called CETO, which uses energy captured from passing waves to generate high-pressure sea water. This is piped onshore to drive a turbine and to create desalinated water. A series of large buoys is tethered to piston pumps anchored in waters {{convert|15|to|50|m|ft}} deep. The rise and fall of passing waves drives the pumps, generating water pressures of up to 1,000 pounds per square inch (psi). Carnegie's first commercial wave farm is due to be completed on Garden Island, near Perth, Western Australia, by mid 2014.
Wave Swell Energy{{cite web|url=https://www.waveswell.com/|title=Wave Swell Energy|access-date=17 January 2021}} installed a trial wave generator unit in the harbour at Grassy, King Island.{{cite web|url=https://arena.gov.au/projects/uniwave200-king-island-project-wave-swell/|title=UniWave200 King Island Project – Wave Swell|date=9 September 2019|access-date=17 January 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.aumanufacturing.com.au/wave-swell-energy-deployed-at-king-island|title=Wave Swell Energy deployed at King Island|date=14 January 2021|access-date=17 January 2021}} It is a 200 kW unit which is connected to the island's existing microgrid, which also utilises like wind, solar, battery and diesel.{{cite web|url=https://www.hydro.com.au/clean-energy/hybrid-energy-solutions/success-stories/king-island|title=King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP)|access-date=17 January 2021}} The trial was a success.{{cite news |last=Moran |first=Jessica |date=31 July 2022 |title=The wave power generator experts say 'proves ocean energy can work' is already powering Australian homes |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-31/wave-power-generator-supplying-king-island-with-electricity/101282070 |work=ABC News |access-date=25 November 2023}} It had an average conversion rate of 48%.
See also
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