Project name: Lorne Pier Demonstration Trial

Objective: Trial of SurgeDrive® 1.5 kW demonstration unit

Commissioned: November 2010

Location: Lorne Pier, Victoria, Australia

Capacity: 1.5 kW – sufficient to power the pier lights and ancillaries of the pier

Technical details: Energy conversion module (ECM) installed out of water on the pier, buoyancy unit, subsea frame and connecting tension transfer elements

Dimensions: 4 m x 1 m ECM installed on pier

Buoyancy unit diameter: 2.2 m

Estimated annual output (normal operational equivalent): 9 MWh

Nominal site wave power: 5 kW/m

The demonstration site

The demonstration unit is a 1.5 kilowatt (kW) system, which uses the waves under Lorne Pier to generate up to 9 megawatt hours (MWh) of emissions-free electricity every year.

The results of the trial will inform a scale-up of the design for a commercial demonstration wave farm project, which is under development. Beyond the trial, the system may be used to power the lights on Lorne Pier.

The generation of electricity on Lorne Pier adds to earlier proof-of-concept work. AquaGen’s technology was originally proven in a world-class test facility, showing effective operation under all simulated ocean conditions and a greater than predicted electricity output.

The technology

AquaGen’s SurgeDrive® technology is unique in that it solves the problems traditionally associated with harnessing wave power. The system’s two-stage design means that all critical equipment is installed out of the water, reducing maintenance and hence electricity generation costs as well as enhancing the system’s ability to survive storms.

The technology also demonstrates high power extraction and has a low visual and environmental impact.

Aside from wave farms, the technology can also be used in other applications, all of which are covered under international patent protection. For example, the technology patent covers a product for use in marine vessels and an adaption of the technology for oil rigs and other offshore structures.

The commercial prototype system is the first wave energy technology to be developed in Victoria. The technology is currently being scaled up for the deployment of multi-megawatt wave farm projects in the future.

Funding support

In August 2010, AquaGen was awarded a Commercialisation Australia grant to support its Lorne Pier project. Only 5 percent of applications are successful.

Having completed the project milestones ahead of schedule, AquaGen will apply for the $2 million Early Stage Commercialisation grant in 2011.

The future

The company is now looking for backers to provide private equity capital to support the next stage of development required to achieve commercialisation.

AquaGen CEO Nick Boyd says that the company is positioned to grow from its current demonstration stage to commercialisation of the SurgeDrive® technology over a four-year period.

“We plan to deploy this technology in multi-megawatt wave farms in the future. With a view to this, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the coastline owner of one of the best wave resource sites in Victoria and indeed Australia.

“Our plan is to build a Phase II pilot plant there to test the full-scale buoyancy units and associated systems before expanding to a full-scale commercial wave farm. We are also in discussions with a group in Asia who are looking to develop a 5 MW wave farm in Asia, and have signed an MoU as a basis for this. The technology is highly modular so the demonstration trial at Lorne Pier in combination with the Phase II scale-up will readily lead us to such commercial expansion.”

“The SurgeDrive® technology can also generate 100 per cent emissions-free desalinated water providing great potential to reduce the fossil fuel reliance of the world’s desalination plants,” he says.

“The wave energy industry is now growing from a small base of about 4 MW globally. Attention is turning to wave energy because of recent recognition of the ocean’s vast clean energy resource and the industry’s emerging ability to capture that resource.”

For further information, visit the AquaGen website at www.aquagen.com.au