Carnegie completes offshore survey on Albany wave site

Australian wave energy developer Carnegie Clean Energy has wrapped up a geophysical site survey of the proposed Albany offshore deployment site for the CETO 6 wave project.

Carnegie completed a survey whose purpose was to establish the offshore geology and suitable strata thickness to inform the technical and economic feasibility of the foundation design for the CETO 6 wave energy converter to be deployed at the Albany site.

The survey was completed by EGS Survey based out of Henderson, using the vessel Business Class owned and operated by Empress Marine in the beginning of June 2018. In addition, South Coast Natural Resource Management of Albany provided a local expert in marine fauna who was on board the vessel to ensure the operations conform with all state and federal legislation regarding marine wildlife, Carnegie informed.

“The geophysical survey collected very accurate bathymetry data, seabed sediment identification and geological data to a depth of approximately 50 meters below sea bed. This has allowed for the identification of the preferred geological conditions for the foundation installation and is contributing to the development of a geological model”, the company said.

The geophysical survey team consisted of three vessel crew, four survey crew, a client representative for Carnegie and a marine mammal observer. The team was supported by the Carnegie and EGS management teams from Perth and Albany.

The facility constructed in the Albany Wave Energy Project project will consist of a single submerged CETO unit with offshore power generation, subsea cable to shore and an onshore substation, in its totality representing a CETO power generating system.

The CETO 6 buoy oscillates with the ocean’s waves and transfers energy to a power conversion unit located inside the buoy, generating power offshore. This power is then transmitted onshore via a subsea cable, according to the project information.

Demonstrating the CETO 6 unit at the Albany site will allow for the demonstration of the CETO technology in higher sea states, and in increased extreme design waves, according to Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

The new CETO 6 device will be first deployed at the site during the 2019/2020 summer weather window.