Carnegie Wave Energy completes desalination plant design

Carnegie Wave Energy has completed the detailed design of a wave-powered desalination pilot plant to be integrated into its Perth Wave Energy Project on Garden Island, Western Australia.

Along with Carnegie’s technical team, the detailed design was carried out by global engineering firm GHD and Perth-based desalination manufacturer Mak Water Industrial.

The plant aims to demonstrate for the first time the production of both power and freshwater from the ocean’s waves. It leverages the CETO wave energy hydraulic system infrastructure currently being installed at the Garden Island site.

The design of the plant integrates the operation of Carnegie’s novel offshore CETO technology with standard onshore reverse osmosis desalination technology.

The high-pressure pump of a standard containerised reverse osmosis circuit is driven by a variable displacement hydraulic motor installed within the hydraulic system of the wave energy facility.

Once operational, the hydraulic circuit of the wave energy plant will provide mechanical energy and will also reduce or eliminate the electrical power required for the high-pressure pump in the reverse osmosis circuit.

AusIndustry’s Clean Technology Innovation Program has provided $1.27m to the desalination pilot project in Federal Government grant funding, of which $320,000 has already been received.