The WA Government has announced that the Albany M4 Wave Energy Demonstration Project is ready to launch, marking a step forward in the state’s exploration of ocean-based renewable energy.
The project, a collaboration between The University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Commonwealth-funded Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre, has received $1.55 million in funding support from the Cook Government.
It aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility of wave energy and its potential to decarbonise aquaculture operations.
The M4 device, a surface-riding wave attenuator prototype, measures 24 meters by 9.5 meters and consists of four floats supporting front and rear frames above water.
Local manufacturers in Albany have spent the past year constructing the device, which is designed to harness the Great Southern region’s high wave energy density and reliable swells.
WA’s Regional Development Minister Don Punch said the Albany M4 Wave Energy Demonstration Project is supporting renewable energy research excellence, regional employment and renewable energy supply chain development in the Great Southern by leveraging the competitive advantage of our State’s natural assets.
“This project is not only nationally significant but it is making a difference for local businesses by creating up-skilling opportunities and increasing capability to work within the innovation and blue economy sector,” he said.
Once deployed, the M4 device will operate for six months, collecting crucial energy production data. This information will be vital in assessing the viability of wave energy as a renewable energy source in the region.
The initiative builds upon the work of the Albany-headquartered UWA Marine Energy Research Centre, known for its collaborations with research and industry partners in developing innovative renewable energy technologies.
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