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Almost a decade ago it was “an idea in need of $100 million and some serious innovation”. Now UWA researchers are involved with Carnegie Wave Energy’s world-first technology that promises clean energy powered by the Indian Ocean waves we love to surf.

While borrowing the name of an ancient Greek sea goddess, the world-first CETO wave-energy technology being developed by Carnegie Wave Energy off Garden Island promises significant 21st century benefits – clean energy and freshwater. And with this University’s long track record of providing innovative geotechnical solutions for this State’s most challenging energy projects, it was no surprise that the Perth-based company invited UWA’s Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems (COFS) to participate in an ARC Linkage Project.

Earlier this year Carnegie’s ground-breaking grid-connected wave energy converter system was switched on and began providing power and desalinated water to Australia’s largest naval base, HMAS Stirling. At the time, CEO Michael Ottaviano observed: “Nine years ago we werevan idea in need of about $100 million and some serious innovation, and that’s what we’ve been able to deliver … WA’s wave resource is the best in the world, and theoretically the resource that hits our coastline every day could power the State ten times over… so the opportunity is huge and Australia should be a world leader in this particular technology.”

Clearly both government agencies and shareholders saw the technology’s potential and came to the party, providing the company with $100 million through Federal and State Government grants and investment dollars.

The CETO system is different from other wave energy devices. Fully submerged buoys drive seabed pumps that deliver high pressure fluid to onshore turbines via a subsea pipe. The high-pressure water can also be used to supply a reverse osmosis desalination plant, thus reducing the greenhouse gas-emitting electrically-driven pumps. Alternatively the movement of the buoys can drive pumps and generators offshore, within the buoy itself, with power delivered back to shore through subsea cables.

Professor Christophe Gaudin of COFS says the development of ocean wave energy is presently hampered by expensive, traditional anchoring systems. As part of Carnegie’s ARC Linkage Grant, the Centre’s researchers aim to design an economic anchoring system for the company’s taut-moored waver energy converters.

“The main economic hurdle the company has is to produce power at a competitive price because at present foundation costs account for up to 20 per cent of overall costs,” explains Professor Gaudin.

“The system’s 20-metre buoys move up and down with the swell of the waves and are fixed to foundations on the seabed that keep them at a given depth below the surface. The deep pile foundations are similar to those for oil and gas platforms and are costly.

“We’re investigating unique anchoring concepts and novel strategies to reduce the maximum load of the wave energy converter on the foundations and will be taking a multi-disciplinary approach – considering hydrodynamic and geotechnical aspects.

“As a world leader in oil and gas geotechnical engineering, we’re now building significant capabilities to assist the wave energy industry in delivering economically viable energy. This includes the commissioning in 2016 of COFS new centrifuge facility and the recent employment of a research associate and two new PhD students, so that offshore renewable energy and wave energy in particular becomes an important element of COFS research portfolio.”

For PhD student Minh Tri Duong working with Carnegie is exciting because he believes that developing affordable renewable energy is one of the world’s big challenges.

“I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in geotechnical engineering and COFS has provided me with an amazing opportunity,” he says. “Not only am I being trained in one of the world’s top research centre but now I’m connecting with this innovative company – it’s an exciting time for me.”

UWA has further links with Carnegie through two graduates: the company’s Non-Executive Director Mike Fitzpatrick (a UWA Rhodes Scholar with a high profile career in investment banking, who is also Chairman of the Australian Football League) and its Chief Operating Officer Greg Allen who graduated from RMIT before moving west to work in the energy industry.

Mr Allen has more than 15 years of experience working across a range of technology and engineering industries.

“Moving into operational management roles that blend engineering and business skills led me to an MBA at UWA,” says the graduate. “When you’re problem solving and dealing with clients you call on technical and commercial skills. The MBA brought me sound business and people management skills, and having that theory gives you the confidence to apply what you’ve studied more rigorously.”

The graduate clearly relishes working with the development of a world-first technology at Carnegie: “It’s about being at the forefront of a sustainable technology; about having the chance to make a difference and being proud to tell your kids what you’re doing. And it’s also about being on the cutting edge, which is always more exciting,” he says.

“The value of partnering with UWA will be exploring available options. The foundation is a significant component of the CETO system, and the opportunity is to decouple the linear relationship between loads and output, so increases in power won’t see proportional increases in loads and costs.”

Whereas Carnegie’s CETO 5 system is already producing power, its new generation CETO 6 system aims to increase capacity while moving from three to 11 kilometres offshore.

“With a proportional increase in the size of waves – and hence the loads and the size of the mooring system – COFS can also help us to find suitable mooring systems for the new seabed soil conditions we will encounter,” says Mr Allen.