Antinuclear

Australia’s exceptional potential for wave energy

AUDIO Australia to catch the wave and hang ten (per cent that is) July 25, 2012 Australia’s coast line in the Southern Ocean has the best wave resources. Particular areas to note are the west coast of Tasmania, the southern ocean in Victoria and south-west Western Australia. (Phys.org) –– Australia’s oceans hold a bounty of energy and could produce 24-hour power, either from the tides, currents or waves.
A study by CSIRO has found that the waves in the ocean could supply about 10 per cent of Australia’s electricity by 2050. This is equivalent to powering a city the size of Melbourne. Ian Cresswell, Director CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship said understanding the potential of this clean, sustainable energy source was important for CSIRO. “Given the potential of ocean energy and the fact that it’s a
very new technology, CSIRO wanted to understand what is the
sustainable level at which this resource could be used for energy
supply and whether it could be competitive with other energy
technologies,” Mr Cresswell said. “Assessing the opportunities and
challenges from resource to the market is a first for ocean renewable
energy in Australia.”
Ocean waves, tidal and ocean flows, collectively known as Ocean
Renewable Energy (ORE), are attracting increasing interest in
Australia as a potentially viable source of renewable energy. (8:52)
The report, Ocean renewable energy: 2015-2050 is now available online
and CSIRO hopes that it will inform the ocean energy industry,
government and investors about the challenges and potential for the
technology. Key findings from the study include: 1. Although wave
energy could supply about 10 per cent of our energy by 2050, there are
many economic, technological, environmental and societal challenges
that will determine its place in Australia’s future energy mix. 2. The
areas that could benefit from wave energy technology include Perth,
the southern coastline and to a lesser extent the east coast of
Australia. Tidal technology could supply niche areas such as north
east Tasmania and the Kimberley region in Western Australia. The study
was carried out by the Wealth from Oceans and Energy Transformed
Flagships and included an analysis of the resource, cost to market,
technologies and future take-up projections by oceanographers,
engineers, economists. The study also engaged the ocean energy
industry and related sectors. Co-author of the report Dr. Sam Behrens
will be presenting the findings during Clean Energy Week, on Thursday
26 July at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. More
information: Download the report from: Ocean renewable energy Provided
by CSIRO: Ocean renewable energy for Australia  http://www.csiro.au/Organisation-Structure/Flagships/Energy-Transformed-Flagship/Ocean-renewable-energy.aspx

: http://phys.org/news/2012-07-australia-ten-cent.html#jCp

July 26, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy