Australia’s wave energy developer Carnegie Clean Energy has secured AUD 335,020 (approximately $218,000) in funding from the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre (Blue Economy CRC) to advance preliminary design work for the first MoorPower commercial pilot wave energy system.
The project will adapt and scale the MoorPower technology for integration with aquaculture feeding barges, following on from the company’s 2024 Scaled Demonstrator project. According to Carnegie, the design work is expected to provide the technical foundation required to attract investment for a full-scale deployment.
Carnegie will deliver the project in collaboration with Huon Aquaculture, Advanced Composite Structures Australia, the University of Tasmania, and several specialist subcontractors. The system is being refined for operational use in offshore aquaculture, focusing on integration with existing infrastructure.
“This project follows the successful completion of the MoorPower Scaled Demonstrator Project in 2024 and aims to deliver the required detail to unlock investment in a Commercial Pilot Project, which would be the first commercial application of the MoorPower technology in the aquaculture industry,” said Carnegie.
According to Carnegie, the design phase will address important operational parameters such as mooring configurations, barge movement, and regulatory compliance. In parallel, Carnegie and the Blue Economy CRC will continue working to secure support for the construction and deployment of the first full-scale system.
In parallel with the design work, Carnegie and the Blue Economy CRC are said to continue efforts to secure backing for the build and operation of the first full-scale system. The CRC is providing full cash funding for the project, while project partners are contributing a further AUD 417,000 in in-kind support.
MoorPower is a wave converter system designed for offshore energy demand applications. The MoorPower module works on the same principle as the CETO power take-off (PTO), but on the surface and at a smaller scale, so learnings are transferable to Carnegie’s projects in Europe.
It is designed to harness offshore energy, initially targeting aquaculture barges and vessels requiring electrical power while operating in remote offshore locations. The company said that the MoorPower modules have been engineered for simple detachment and reattachment as is required for commercial operating barges, ensuring that the barge can be easily maintained.
In May, Carnegie Clean Energy confirmed that its wholly owned subsidiary, CETO Wave Energy Ireland (CWEI), received a €137,152 payment under the EuropeWave Phase 3 contract, part of its ACHIEVE program.