Albany Wave Energy Project begins

Carnegie Clean Energy has begun project design and development activities on the $15.75 million Albany Wave Energy Project in Western Australia.

The first phase involves the detailed, localised measurement of the wave resource at the specific offshore site proposed for the installation of the CETO 6 unit.   

The measurement of metocean conditions is now underway via the installation of a wave buoy approximately 1.5km off the existing Albany wind farm.

The data buoy was deployed in 30m of water depth by a local Albany‐based offshore operator and technician, and is now measuring wave height, period and energy spectra, and is transmitting this data to Carnegie’s CETO project team.   

The measured data will be used to validate the metocean modelling performed at the deployment site and will be fed into the detailed design phase of the CETO 6 unit and the common user infrastructure to maximise performance and survivability of the system, and to minimise environmental impact.

The project aims to demonstrate Carnegie’s commercial prototype with the initial project phase including the delivery of an operating CETO 6 unit.

Project design and development activities now commenced include consideration of environment, Native Title, planning consent, grid connection studies and approvals.    

Further consultation will also be undertaken with the local community, industry and other stakeholder groups.

The Albany Wave Energy Project will be the first offshore demonstration of Carnegie’s CETO 6 technology.

The project will design, manufacture and install a CETO 6 unit in Carnegie’s existing licence area offshore from Torbay and Sandpatch in Albany during the 2019/2020 summer weather window.    

In addition to demonstrating Carnegie’s world renowned WA developed and owned technology, the project will also deliver common user infrastructure at the Albany site which Carnegie will make available for other wave energy industry developers once the CETO 6 project is complete.   

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has also approved Carnegie’s request to move ARENA’s CETO 6 Project funding from Garden Island to Albany, subject to the signing of the detailed documentation.

The Wave Energy Research Centre will elevate Western Australia to the forefront of offshore renewable energy research and technology, and bring together more than 30 researchers to support Carnegie’s ongoing research into wave, tidal and offshore wind energy.

Carnegie will continue to use its Garden Island site for its own wave energy research and prototype testing as well as working with other wave energy developers at the site.

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