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Wave Power Trial Splashes Down In Port Fairy

16 December 2015

Victoria’s first wave-power unit, which generates electricity from the ocean, has been successfully installed off the coast of Port Fairy, with Victoria leading the nation in developing renewable power generation.

This follows the Andrews Labor Government’s recent sod turning on a 75 turbine wind farm in Ararat and its release of the Renewable Energy Roadmap and the New Energy Technology discussion paper.

Innovative energy technology company BioPower Systems has submerged a 26-metre tall, bioWAVE power unit on the seafloor, which is connected by an underwater cable to the electricity grid.

The structure rocks back and forth with the movement of waves and sea swell, and that motion is converted into grid-quality electricity. The trial wave unit is capable of generating 250 kilowatts.

The $21 million project is jointly funded with the Victorian Government providing $5 million and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) contributing $11 million.

The unit will be connected and tested over the summer and is expected to begin producing electricity for the grid early in the first quarter of next year. The trial is anticipated to last 12 months.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio

“Technology innovation has enormous potential to generate sustainable electricity with no greenhouse emissions and boost renewable energy’s contribution to Victoria’s electricity grid.”

“Supporting this trial to harness the infinite power of the sea opens the door to new energy technology jobs and valuable global export opportunities.”

Reviewed 10 February 2021

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