Seeding Marine Innovation in WA with a Wave Energy Deployment in Albany

A prototype version of the M4 (short for ‘Moored MultiModal Multibody’) Wave Energy Converter will be deployed in King George Sound, Albany, funded by the CRC, WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and UWA.

The project demonstrates wave energy’s potential to power the aquaculture industry and enable an ecosystem of other surrounding activities including development of a test site/market demonstrator and academic research in multiple fields and institutions. The M4 WEC is ideal for this project as it has undergone extensive optimisation, with published results (in peer-reviewed journals) demonstrating high energy capture and excellent survivability.

Wave energy converter deployments are typically commercially sensitive and therefore difficult to build broad research and engagement programs around. In this case data will be publicly available and benefits will include demonstration of local (Great Southern, WA) and national capability, interaction across CRC partners, advancement of the technology, community engagement, training and more.

The project involves the design, manufacture, deployment, operation & maintenance, and decommissioning of a scaled prototype of M4, seeking to test and validate the infrastructure and supply chain necessary for emerging ocean energy markets, including the aquaculture industry in the region.