Australian wave energy device’s name to honor Indigenous heritage

The Moored MultiModal Multibody (M4) wave energy device has been named “Kwilyilah” in recognition of Noongar cultural heritage. 

According to the University of Western Australia’s (UWA) Oceans Institute, the device’s name, meaning “dolphin,” reflects its leaping motion above water and the symbolic connection between dolphins and coastal communities.

The naming was carried out in collaboration with the Albany Heritage Reference Group. Participating Elders selected the name to honor the Noongar people’s deep-rooted knowledge of the ocean and marine life, UWA Oceans Institute noted.

M4 is now officially operating under the new name as part of ongoing efforts to integrate cultural awareness and respect into renewable energy projects. 

“M4 is now proudly displaying its Noongar name,” said the UWA Oceans Institute in a social media post. 

The M4 wave energy device, featuring a triangular forward frame, a trailing arm, and a power generator on the connecting hinge, is built from structural steel beams and four steel floater buoys for buoyancy and ballast.

The project, funded by the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, and UWA, will be deployed off Albany’s historic Whaling Station.

In late November, UWA’s M4 wave energy converter (WEC) was retrieved for its first scheduled maintenance checks following the initial deployment phase.