Wave energy exploration begins off Mauritius

Wave monitoring device, aiming to explore the prospects of developing wave energy for the Republic of Mauritius and harness the potential of ocean energy, was deployed during a launching ceremony in Souillac.

The initiative follows the collaborative agreement signed in June 2015 by the Mauritius Research Council (MRC) with Australian wave energy developer Carnegie Wave Energy on the prospects of developing wave energy for Mauritius.

Following the signature of the agreement, Carnegie Wave Energy in partnership with the MRC began the project ‘High Penetration Renewable Energy Roadmap, Wave Resource Assessment and Wave-Integrated Micro grid Design in Mauritius’ in November 2015.

The project is being jointly funded by Carnegie (19%) and the Australian Government (81%).

Five potential locations that are no further than 3 km from Souillac have been identified for the deployment of the wave monitoring device, with the aim of using the site closest to Souillac for the deployment.

The Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands, Premdut Koonjoo, and the Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, and Disaster and Beach Management, and the Australian High Commissioner to Mauritius, Susan Coles, were present at the deployment of the wave monitoring device at Souillac.

The event was organised by the MRC in collaboration with the Australian High Commission in Mauritius.

The Republic of Mauritius has a total area of 2.3 million square kilometres of Exclusive Economic Zone and is geographically well positioned to harness ocean energy, in the form of offshore wind, ocean wave, ocean current, ocean thermal and ocean saline energy, according to the Mauritius government.