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Carnegie completes plans for Mauritius wave, solar + storage microgrid

Sophie Vorrath
19

Carnegie Clean Energy’s plans to use its world-leading CETO wave energy technology to develop a renewable energy microgrid for the island Republic of Mauritius are beginning to take shape, with the completion of plans for stage one of the hybrid power station.

The ASX-listed company said on Monday it had completed the detailed design of a wave energy integrated hybrid power station for the Mauritian island of Rodrigues, with stage 1 consisting of 2MW of solar PV and a 2MW/0.5MWh battery system, with intelligent control systems to ensure reliable, utility grade power quality and grid stability.

mauritius_political_map

The 12 month, $990,000 project – which has received $800,000 in funding from the Australian federal government – also aims to pave the way for high penetration renewable generation, putting the island nation on a path to take it beyond the current national 2025 target of 35 per cent renewables set by the government.

At a workshop held in Bagatelle, Carnegie also provided a detailed assessment of the Mauritian wave energy resource, and the identification of a preferred site for Carnegie’s CETO wave energy technology.

Carnegie, which last year merged with fellow WA microgrid and energy storage specialists Energy Made Clean, has been going from strength to strength since the successful completion of its wave power pilot CETO 5 Perth Project, the world’s first grid-connected wave energy plant.

ceto 6 vs ceto 5

Since then, it has been transforming the Garden Island facility into the world’s first solar, battery and wave integrated microgrid, this time using its larger-scale CETO 6 technology, the existing desalination plant, and 2MW of solar PV and a 2MW/0.5MWh battery storage system – a template for Mauritius.

Carnegie’s manager of project operations, Neil de Tisi, says the company’s innovative Rodrigues wave energy integrated hybrid power station design now offers replicability for other small island developing states, too.

“We look forward to working with the Mauritian government and key stakeholders to deliver on the recommendations of the project,” he said.

Dr Arjoon Suddhoo, executive director of the Mauritius Research Council, said Carnegie’s achievements so far were a first for many small island developing states, offering energy security and economic diversification and growth.

“For the MRC, this is an excellent vehicle for new technology transfer to Mauritius and its dependencies, where local and international collaboration is critical,” he said.

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19 responses to “Carnegie completes plans for Mauritius wave, solar + storage microgrid”

  1. SMcC Avatar
    SMcC

    Why is the Australian Federal government providing $800 K for a project in Mauritius? And how much CETO wave power is planned to be generated – the article only mentions PV and battery… PV and battery shouldn’t need subsidy anymore. Surely we should be doing this type of work for our many islands so our tax payer money benefits us. I must be missing something???

    1. Ren Stimpy Avatar
      Ren Stimpy

      It’s an Australian company starting to move into overseas markets – good for our balance of trade if they make a success of this one and continue to grow. Plus it gives this tech a push across the learning curve. If wave power takes off it will be an extremely good complementary power source for wind and solar. I’d rather see a thousand of these kinds of funding parcels for Australian clean energy innovators than the one billion dollars for Indian coal company Adani.

    2. Steven Gannon Avatar
      Steven Gannon

      That’s stage one only, it also includes a desal plant. The money is backing for a promising company, not a solar subsidy. Carnegie are the only company that have harnessed wave energy succesfully so far. Ren’s comment sums it up.

      1. FeFiFoFum Avatar
        FeFiFoFum

        *cough*
        Harnessed successfully ?
        They’re slick marketers and plenty of people have fallen for their spiel.

        Are there any actual records of the performance of the CETO system?
        As in over a 24hr period, 7 days a week, for the last 12 months,, what has the output been ?

        If waves are that consistent then surely you would get a consistent output from the generator,, definitlely does not sound like rocket science.

        1. Steven Gannon Avatar
          Steven Gannon

          Do your own bloody research.

          I’ve long thought posts that challenge yet only infer there are negatives tend to be trolls. There is obviously no overarching issues or various govts would have steered clear. I have sourced some data, but like I said, do your own. Don’t bother getting back to me, I like a constructive discussion, not a pissing competition.

          1. FeFiFoFum Avatar
            FeFiFoFum

            You’re funny Steve.
            Its not a pissing competition.
            Maybe more of a reality check ( suggesting the opposing view to all the one sided marketing spiel presented).
            You seem a bit sensitive to the response to your post.
            You must be one of the ‘true believer’ investors who has bought into this company.
            I know enough about ‘both’ companies to not need to spend any wasted time doing any more research into them and definitely not investing into them either.

          2. Steven Gannon Avatar
            Steven Gannon

            *sigh* OK I’ll bite.

            I’m one them poor people, business failures can have that effect. If I was an investor I’d spread it through the various clean stocks after researching etc.. The British govt commissioning a plant ( you reckon they didn’t look at the data?) would have been enough for me to have a dabble. Each to their own, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

            Mate, you can be as sceptical as you want but I don’t appreciate crap like “reality check” or (erroneous) assumptions, it’s all too common on internet threads and becomes tiresome. If you want to make a point give me facts not aspersions.
            Has it occurred to you that the solar company is for filling in the gaps you mentioned?.

          3. FeFiFoFum Avatar
            FeFiFoFum

            I understand business failure ( been there done that)
            I know that solar company well, spent a (very) short time there and chose to leave.
            My skepticism is based on an understanding of their inner workings and workplace culture.
            Enough said,, its an open internet forum after all.

      2. Steven Gannon Avatar
        Steven Gannon

        Stage 3, 15MW of wave.

    3. brucelee Avatar
      brucelee

      In 2009 Mauritius electricity was 96% thermal generation. The major
      components of the fuel input were coal, the dominant fuel, (50.4%), bagasse
      (27.7%) and fuel oil (21.4%)

      I imagine the cost if these imports to the middle of the ocean makes the CCE tech economic for them.

      Section 2.7 & 2.8
      https://goo.gl/AZ7DPR

  2. jrdbull Avatar
    jrdbull

    Another government handout to Carnegie. They cant stand up on their own two feet without exploiting foolish politicians and in turn the Australia Taxpayer and gullible shareholders. All this money is just lining Executive Managements pockets. Its a farce. Note there is no wave technology for stage one, highly likely due to the fact the Carnegie wave technology isn’t viable at present, not only on mainland but also on remote islands. It has a high $/w installed and that coupled with O&M means a ridiculous LCOE. The engineering undertaken looks suspiciously like a cut and past of Garden Island, 800k misspent! When will the Australian government wake up to these charlatans? Who in the government is undertaking due diligence on where all this money is going? If you look at their financials it’s very clear!

    1. al edg Avatar
      al edg

      Wow that was umm… wow.. So I take it you deny the existence of waves?

      Australian government has budgets set aside for this exact purpose. Ausaid! And by proving this technology in Mauritius (granted i’m not sure how Mauritius ended up being the first candidate deployment but oh well) the technology might be proven viable for our pacific and indian ocean neighbours.

      Have a look at how much the ‘capitalist’ US government spends on supporting new technologies it’s VASTLY more than Australian government spend for the same purpose. So stop complaining and hope that this Aussie technology makes it to full commercial (unsubsidised) mass scale viability!

      1. jrdbull Avatar
        jrdbull

        You are completely missing the point. Your flippant remark about ”waves” is irrelevant at best. A study was undertaken for Mauritius and on face value the CETO technology was not proposed for stage 1. It was then proposed that they install 2MWp of PV with a 2MW/500kWh battery. Spending 900k of Australian Taxpayer money to get to that juncture is a sham. I am an advocate for RE and indeed wave technology, i am however not a supporter of further subsidies to this business than what has already been provided historically over the years. This group is renowned for smoke and mirrors and those who actually understand the industry know it. If Carnegie were more forthcoming of information to industry and shareholders about how ”well” the wave technology works, then perhaps there wouldn’t be this level of scrutiny.

        1. FeFiFoFum Avatar
          FeFiFoFum

          Yes agree with these comments.
          I have heard first hand from people within the group that the wave energy generator is ‘extremely’ intermittent. Long periods of zero generation with the occasional spike in generation.
          Hardly useful in providing reliable power.
          Maybe useful as a top up when coupled to another source of generation plus storage.

          The cost for all this complication and high maintenance equipment ( ANYTHING to do with the ocean and salt water makes it expensive) would surely blow it out of the water from a cost per megawatt/hour ( or even watt / hour if thats all they manage to generate) perspective thus rendering it un commercial.
          No coincidence they bought out a solar/storage company that at least can generate some cashflow.

          jrdbull, are you in the West ? And how can I contact you?

          1. jrdbull Avatar
            jrdbull

            Hi FeFi, occasionally in Perth. Hoping to head over in June. Happy to chat, what’s your email address?

          2. FeFiFoFum Avatar
            FeFiFoFum

            Can be contacted on [email protected]

  3. Giles Avatar
    Giles

    jrdbull joined this forum nearly six months ago. All of his 11 comments have been about Carnegie, and his claims of rorts etc etc. A single issue commenter with a grievance.

    1. jrdbull Avatar
      jrdbull

      An old shareholder and one amoungst many that is sick of reading marketing propaganda Giles is perhaps a more apt description. The only grievance I have is hearing from countless good people in the industry, coupled with shareholders that have been burnt by unscrupulous operators. I do not question your advocacy and commitment and contribution to this industry, you have been a stalwart… but with respect, if you don’t like people taking a strong position and having an informed view on your forums, take it down. I suspect however that contradicts some of your values.

  4. JOSHOUA WALDHORN Avatar
    JOSHOUA WALDHORN

    We at W.J.Gabriel Buoy ltd Israel Bless the Government of Mauritius for their Understanding about ability to harness ocean energy and to be able to supply their Habitats Super Clean Renewable Energy .

    W.J.Gabriel Buoy ltd will be happy to participate with our Superb Technologies and to Supply the Mauritius Grid even up to 50% and more of their power need .

    Our W.J.Gabriel Buoy is most efficient in production of electricity and our W.J.Gabriel Buoy depends on wave size can reach production of even 1 Mega Watt per One Buoy to be placed in our W.J.Gabriel Marine Eco Farm Size of 30-50 -100- 200 Mega Watt .

    Our W.J.Gabriel buoy Can Stand firm in Stormy Weather and can never Sink ,and its Quiet operation is friendly to marine Habitat .

    We will approach to Mauritius Government soonest presenting to them our New Superb technologies.

    For more information : [email protected] ,Mr Joshoua Waldhorn Israel

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