This technology is amazing. Not only are ocean waves used to produce clean, carbon free electric power, but they also produce fresh water! By supporting technology like this, along with wind power and solar, we can beat the coming heat. Granted, the damage done already by buring fossil fuels will take about a thousand years to clean up, but this kind of machinery is a beginning.
The following is a statement by the Energy Minister of Western Australia, Fran Logan.
Regards,
Mike B)
Statement Released: 4-Feb-2007 Portfolio: Energy
Major leap forward for WA wave-energy technology
4/2/07
Wave-energy technology invented and developed in Western Australia has taken another step closer to commercialisation.
Energy Minister Francis Logan today unveiled the first of nine pre-commercialisation wave-energy units that will be installed in the ocean off North Fremantle and thoroughly tested over the next year.
“This new and innovative wave energy technology, designed to produce both fresh water and green electricity, has been developed in WA and has the potential to deliver significant benefits to the State,” Mr Logan said.
“It is very pleasing to see this technology progressing to the next stage and used to support the development of a wave energy industry in WA.
“Wave energy is a clean, renewable source of energy that can produce electricity without producing greenhouse gas emissions.”
The units, named CETO2 after a Greek sea goddess, were developed by WA company Seapower Pacific and its parent company, UK-based Renewable Energy Holdings.
The companies have invested about $10million in the technology and expect it to be fully commercialised within two years. They are currently evaluating several sites off the south-west coast of WA for commercial deployment.
“An array of the units will be installed about 250m off North Fremantle over the next two to three months, in time for the autumn and winter swells,” the Minister said.
“The CETO2 wave-energy technology uses an underwater pump driven by the waves to deliver high-pressure seawater through a pipe to the shore. The seawater is then used to drive a turbine to generate electricity or passed through a reverse osmosis desalinisation unit to produce fresh water.
“The company has advised that one unit can produce about one million litres of fresh water every day and has the capacity to generate 180kW of clean electricity. An array of 100 units could supply 45 gigalitres of fresh water or enough electricity to supply 20,000 households.
“There is considerable global interest in using waves as a source of energy, with various devices being developed in countries like Norway, the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States.
“WA has an excellent wave energy resource available, with enormous potential to use this resource to produce clean electricity and fresh water.”
Note: Renewable Energy Holdings is an international renewable energy operator and investor. It actively invests and operates in both proven and innovative renewable energy projects and currently operates a bioenergy project in Wales and windfarms in Germany.
Minister's office - 9222 8950
further reading can be found here: http://www.seapowerpacific.com/NEWS.htm
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