Australia's Alternative Energy Program Rises With the Waves

It is off of Australia's abundant coastline that thebe provided by wave- power. As buoys rise and fall,
renewable energy of wave power is harnessed. Sincedriving pistons up and down with their motion, water is
agreeing to the Kyoto Protocol, Australia has madeforced through lines that power electrical turbines.
great strides in the advancement of wave-power.Some of this water is directed to desalination plants,
The Oceanlinx is a wave-energy converter deviceproducing clean drinking water straight from the largest
developed in Australia. Founded by Dr. Tom Denniss insource of H2O on the planet; the ocean!
1997, Oceanlinx technology has grown rapidly sinceBased on this application of wave-power as well as
that time due to numerous investments from energythe efficient performance of the Oceanlinx device,
firms as well as a $1.21 million research andCarnegie Corporations seek to develop three of these
development grant from the federal government inwave-power projects in Australia. They wish to tether
2004. The grant was part of Australia's Wave Energybuoys to pistons submerged 15 to 50 meters below
Optimisation program, established to help meet thethe water's surface. Carnegie's desire is to establish a
guidelines set by the Kyoto Protocol.50 MW demonstration in Western Australia by the end
Oceanlinx is testing a wave-power system at theof 2013. Another 50 MW wave power project is set
New South Wales suburb of Port Kembla. A notedfor development near the town of Albany in Western
seaport, its location on a particularly wavy portion ofAustralia, jointly funded by Carnegie Corporations and
the ocean makes it an ideal site to utilize thethe state government.
renewable energy created by water movement. It isAs numerous countries around the world look to
hoped that the Oceanlinx will provide electricity andalternative energies for electricity and other power
water to the homes, steel mills, and shipping companiesgeneration, Australia has taken the lead in wave
found in Port Kembla, providing evidence of thepower. Renewable energy that powers homes and
efficient energy production of wave-power to the restprovides drinking water only makes sense in a country
of Australia.surrounded by ocean.
In addition to electricity generation, drinking water can