An Australian company has been working on a system that uses underwater buoys to convert sea waves into zero-emission energy and desalinated water.
Australian firm Carnegie Wave Energy has been developing a system called CETO, which aims to utilise sea waves to generate power. Steel-made buoys that can currently generate 240 kilowatts are the main part of the system.
At the Australian naval base HMAS Stirling, three buoys are placed 11 kilometres apart. The buoys are less susceptible to extreme weather damage, while underwater waves are sufficient to generate power.
The buoys’ pumps drive the high pressure water to an onshore power plant via a subsea pipe. The high pressure water spins the turbines, which then generate zero-carbon electricity.
The CETO system can be used to power a desalination plant as well. High pressure water can be utilised to remove salt from seawater through a permeable membrane in a process called reverse osmosis.
The Australian company believes that the cost of electricity generated by the CETO system will be competitive with diesel if it is deployed at a large scale.