Scientists map out wave energy hotspots.
Scientists map out wave energy hotspots
Updated
CSIRO’s study reveals if just 10 per cent of generated wave energy was harnessed, it would meet half of the nation’s current electricity needs. (User submitted: Jon Galpin
Australian scientists have mapped out the best places across the nation’s southern coast for generating wave energy, all the way from Geraldton in Western Australia to King Island in Tasmania.
A new CSIRO energy atlas shows that if just 10 per cent of the energy generated from waves was harnessed it would meet half of the nation’s current electricity consumption.
Australia’s southern coastline has been identified by the World Energy Council as one of the world’s best sites for generating wave energy.
The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research’s Dr Mark Hemer says even the small fraction of energy harnessed from Australia’s coast will be enough to meet future government targets.
“If we look at the sustained energy resource along the southern coastline – and we’re looking between Geraldton in West Australia and southern tip of Tasmania – that has a sustained wave energy resource of about… five times larger than Australia’s present day electricity consumption,” he said.