Wave Energy’s Potential Promising As Overseas Firms Seek To Test Technology In NZ
May 28th, 2008
• West Coast wave pattern “ideal.”
• Two very different technologies.
• NZ wave project within three years?
Two overseas wave energy firms are eyeing NZ’s West Coast as the ideal location to test their very different wave energy technologies. Aust-based Carnegie Corporation wants to trial its CETO (Cylindrical Energy Transfer Oscillating) technology off the West Coast because it has the optimal swell height of between 2m and 4m. And Scottish company Ocean Power Delivery is also eyeing the West Coast for its Pelamis wave energy technology. Carnegie Managing Director Michael Ottaviano says CETO’s key advantage is its unique design, which distinguishes itself from other wave technologies by pumping water through pipes to hydro-electric turbines onshore.
This means CETO does not require subsea cables or expensive, high-maintenance offshore electrical equipment. Ottaviano adds the CETO system is fully submerged, which means there is no visual impact and it also greatly enhances its storm survivability. CETO works through an array of submerged buoys, tethered to pump units anchored to the sea floor. The buoys move up and down with the waves, driving the pumps, which send seawater ashore at sufficient pressure to drive the generating turbine. Ottaviano says the inherent simplicity of the design lends itself to mass production and ease of deployment, and the technology is attracting strong interest from potential investors. The CETO technology is being developed at Carnegie’s Wave Energy Research Facility in Fremantle and is on track for completion in 2009. Carnegie’s lawyers are studying NZ’s coastal and seabed legislation to see if its plans are legally viable in this country. The company will outline its proposals to the Aotearoa Wave and Tidal Energy Association Conference in Wellington on Thursday and will also meet Govt representatives.
Carnegie says it is attracted to NZ by the Govt’s commitment to renewable energy, so is optimistic of getting a positive reception. It believes it can build 50MW wave energy plants for under $NZ400m. A further advantage of CETO is its ability to directly desalinate seawater. Meanwhile Ocean Power Delivery, which has already built wave farms in Scotland and Portugal using Pelamis, is in talks with Auckland-based Power Generation Projects and is hoping to build up to 140 of the machines in NZ.
Power Generation Projects Director Chris Curlett is optimistic the first wave farm could be operating off the West Coast within three years. Several other marine energy projects are also underway in NZ. Crest Energy has applied for resource consent for a tidal energy plant on the Kaipara Harbour, and Neptune Power plans to anchor turbines in Cook Strait, while another group is experimenting with wave-energy in Lyttelton Harbour. The Govt recently put up $8m to encourage deployment of marine-based electricity. The World Energy Council estimates about 2TW (twice the world’s current electricity production) could be produced from the oceans by using wave power.
Copyright © Media Information Ltd
NZ Energy & Environment Business Week
Amalgamated Dairies