AUSSIE WAVE POWER TRIALS, TRIBULATIONS & PLANS

Hiccups in catching wave power
Giles Parkinson, May 24, 2010 (The Australian)

"There are so many prototypes being built or planned to capture wave energy that there seem to be as many shapes and sizes as you might find in a children's play box…[O]ne fundamental choice [is key]…[S]hould it float on the water or be installed on the sea floor? …[T]here seems good argument for both…

"The developers and financial backers of Oceanlinx's wave generation unit would have been mortified last week when its third-generation prototype, the Mk3PC, broke its moorings just off the industrial city of Port Kembla, and crashed into a nearby breakwater and sank, less than two months after the country's first grid-connected wave plant was officially launched."

click to enlarge

"The company is…saying that enough data had been gleaned from the unit during its short period of operations…for them to move ahead with a full-size model…It says the one-third-scale prototype, at 30m by 10m, and 170 tonnes, was only built to withstand 4m waves and this was easily exceeded last weekend. The full-scale model will be built to withstand 30m waves…

"Oceanlinx is not the only wave energy developer to suffer such a misfortune. Finnevera lost its Aquaboy wave energy device in October 2007 because of a bilge pump failure. OPT, which has been chosen by the federal government to build Australia's first large-scale wave energy plant in Victoria, lost a device in 2002…Such mishaps can only be expected while new technologies are being developed, particularly in the harsh marine environment."

The Pelamis "sea-snake" (click to enlarge

"…Britain, in contrast to Australia, has gone for multiple projects, and its programs include Crown Estate's GBP4 billion ($6.9bn) investment to foster 10 different wave and tidal technologies and nursery sites at the marine energy centre in Scotland, and a new wave hub in Cornwall…Two new-generation technologies have been unveiled [recently], including a 230m-long, 1500-tonne "sea snake" developed by Pelamis and energy firm E.ON…The other model was Aquamarine's "sea oyster", a 26m x 16m device that is attached to the ocean floor and has a large hinged flap that acts like a pump driven by ocean energy…

"The dream of Adelaide-based Windesal to build a $1bn network of wind-powered desalination plants through South Australia has moved a step closer...Windesal and [Germany’s Siemens formed a partnership and] believe the technology has the potential to effectively drought-proof the state, using lower costs and less energy than most large-scale desalination plants…[They plan on] the establishment of a water technology hub in Port Pirie that could emerge as a showcase for global water technologies…Siemens sees water technology as a major business opportunity in Australia, and included a $23bn spending proposal as part of its 'Picture the Future' blueprint for Australian water and energy supplies for 2030."