Australian Energy Buoys also Desalinate

Australia Uses the Motion of the Ocean to Generate Zero-Emission Electricity and Desalinate Water Simultaniously

It's not the size of the buoy that counts.It's the motion in the ocean.

Actually, both are pretty important. At least, they are when it comes to Australia's new CETO5 system: "The first array of wave power generators to be connected to an electricity grid in Australia and worldwide"according toAustralian Renewable Energy Agency CEOIvor Frischknecht.As of February 18,that systemhas beenchanneling clean, efficient, zero-emission energy into Australia's power grid, providing electricity to the country's largest naval base.

CETO 5,named for theancient Greek sea goddess, is part of the "Carnegie Perth Wave Energy Project,"amultimillion dollar initiative built to demonstrate the commercial viability of a large-scale wave power. The systemis alreadyturning heads both for the energy it produces, as well as the pollution it doesn't.

CETO 5 (the fifth iteration of the CETO technology)is a modulararray of three,entirely-submerged 240 kWbuoys and water pumps. As oceanic waves move the buoys, they in turnactivate the pumps, pushingpressurized waterthroughpower turbines, while simultaneously feeding intoa desalinization system.

According toCarnegie Wave,CETOhas a number of potential commercial advantages overother wave power generating systems (as attn asks: "there's more than one?"):CETO'smodular design allows for customizable scalability, andits being entirely submerged renders the equipmentless susceptibleto damage from storms and air erosion. What's more,explainsAustralianEnergy Minister Ian Macfarlane, the ebb and flow of the ocean is a much more reliable source of power than comparable green-energy systems, such as wind and solar.

Plansare already underway for a CETO 6,expected to generate four times as much power asthecurrent system. As Carnegie Wave Energy CEO Michael Ottavianotold The West Australian :"The great thing about it is we know it works. The challenge from here on is really about scale and cost."

Source: Good

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Taxonomy

• Technology
• Marine
• Energy
• Desalination