Carnegie begins work on its biggest array as wave energy pioneer edges towards commercial viability

Western Australia-based wave energy pioneer Carnegie Clean Energy has begun development of a 6-megawatt (MW) wave energy array – its biggest yet – that is expected to be built in the Bay of Biscay in Spain.

The project will use Carnegie’s Ceto technology, named after an ancient Greek sea goddess, and will consist of six 1 MW commercial-scale Ceto units.

They will connect into the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP), located off the coast of the Basque Country, which is an open-sea test infrastructure for wave energy technologies, offshore wind turbines, and auxiliary equipment, and boasts four 5 MW cables connected to the local grid.

Ceto is a fully submerged wave energy technology that sits a few metres below the surface of the ocean and moves with the ocean’s waves, subsequently converting the motion of the buoy into electricity.

“It is a significant stride towards proving Ceto’s commercial viability at scale, aligning with our dedication to delivering clean, reliable wave energy solutions to markets worldwide, particularly in resource-rich regions like the Basque Country,” Carnegie CEO Jonathan Fiévez said in a statement.

Carnegie will now begin working through a range of early project development activities including exploring the commercial Ceto array design, grid connection options, funding mechanisms, and partnerships necessary for a successful Ceto commercial array. 

“Building upon the strong groundwork already laid, the agreement with BiMEP provides a clear pathway for us to explore the development of a multi-megawatt Ceto array.