Renewable Energy holdings

The good thing is that this did not get caught up in the bubble of renewable stocks that rose substantially and fell even harder. This just fell but if anything the future is very promising and we get to buy in cheap without having paid the inflated prices that many renewable stocks reached.


Cowaramup Bay may be site for wave energy project

Cowaramup Bay is believed to have been identified as a suitable site for wave-based technology that creates electricity and fresh water.

According to industry sources the company that has been conducting research on the alternative technology in Fremantle is having discussions with landcorp about its Cowaramup plans.

Before such a project was to proceed it would be subjected to environmental and community consultation.

UK-based Renewable Energy Holdings PLC (REH) will refloated its CETO wave energy prototype off Fremantle yesterday to make way for the deployment of its new system.

Named after a Greek sea goddess, the CETO I prototype (at right in Fremantle recently) is being removed following a successful year-long trial during which it produced fresh water and electricity.

“CETO I cleared all design hurdles, successfully producing clean power from ocean waves and freshwater via the reverse osmosis unit,” said REH director and CETO inventor Alan Burns.

“The removal of the CETO I marks the start of preparations for the
installation of the CETO II pre-commercialisation prototypes,” he said.

CETO II will be based on the same proven principles as CETO I being safely anchored to the seabed, out of the way of storms. It will produce high-pressure seawater, which is piped ashore to REH’s North Fremantle research facility where it can then be used to drive a turbine for electricity or pass through a reverse osmosis filter to produce fresh water (or a combination of each).

“Deployment of CETO II is expected to occur in the New Year with full commercialisation possible in time to come on stream before 2010 when Perth will need to find yet another water source,” Mr Burns said.

Apart from producing clean energy, an array of around 120 commercial CETO units would generate around 45G/L of freshwater per year and be zero-emission, saving 230,000 tonnes of CO2/yr when compared with other seawater desalination alternatives, Mr Burns said.

In the spirit of renewables, the CETO 1 prototype will be towed to a site off the coast and used as a dive wreck.

The CETO technology is being developed by REH’s 100% owned Perth-based subsidiary Seapower Pacific. Perth-based clean energy company Carnegie Corporation co-developed the CETO technology before selling it to REH.

Carnegie remains a shareholder in REH and has participation rights in future REH projects. Carnegie has a proven track record in commercialising inventions and currently has a clean coal technology under development.