Support by the WA Government, The University of Western Australia (UWA) established a new knowledge hub in marine renewable energy with headquarters in Albany on the WA south coast in 2018. A partnership between UWA, the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre and the WA Government is now funding an innovation project for a prototype wave energy converter in Albany’s outer harbour. The project involves the design, manufacture, deployment, operation and decommissioning of a reduced-scale M4 (‘Moored MultiModal Multibody’), seeking to test and validate the infrastructure and supply chain necessary for emerging marine energy markets, including the aquaculture industry in the region.
Wave energy deployments are typically commercially sensitive and therefore difficult to build research and engagement programs around. In this case, data will be publicly available and benefits will include demonstration of local and national capability, interaction across sectors, advancement of the technology and community engagement. All “Lessons Learnt” including in environmental approval and permitting processes will be documented and published. The M4 wave energy converter is ideal for this project as it is supported by the academic, non-commercial collaboration between UWA and the University of Manchester, and the technology has undergone extensive optimisation, with results published in peer-reviewed journals.