Carnegie Wave Energy Limited (CWE) has signed a Collaboration Agreement with Fundación Chile (FCH) to assess the potential for commercial wave energy plants capable of producing electrical power and desalinated water in Chile and Peru.
Additionally, Carnegie is now a partner with Fundación Chile in the Valparaiso Regional Government’s Innovation Fund of Competiveness (FIC), aimed at developing marine energy in the Valparaiso Region which includes Easter and Robinson Crusoe Islands.
The areas defined for collaboration with Fundación Chile include the assessment of wave resources at various sites, the regulatory environment, site identification and development and project financing and construction.
Carnegie’s Business Development Manager, Edoardo Sommacal said: “Fundación Chile is a key player in the development of the renewable energy and innovation in South America and this collaboration will speed the development of the wave energy sector in Chile. Wave energy has the potential to be an additional solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the production of both power and water in Chile, a country with a world class wave resource.”
Fundación Chile’s Head of Renewable, Juan Ramon Candia said: “At FCH we are constantly searching for innovative solutions in order to face the main challenges for our region. In the past we were very active in promoting the development of solar energy, an industry that today has reached a high level of investment with several players from different part of the world aiming to be part of this emerging industry in this region. In line with this, the Government has developed our national agenda for energy, where the promotion of renewables is central. The agreement we have signed with Carnegie represents a great opportunity for our organisations to collaborate towards making wave energy a reality in this part of the Globe.”
The Regional Government of Valparaiso is also progressing an Innovation Fund of Competiveness (FIC) initiative with Fundación Chile which Carnegie has now also joined. Fundación Chile will participate together with other local Chilean companies and the National Institute of Hydrology (INH) to advance the development of marine renewable energy in the coastal communities of the Region of Valparaíso.
The primary objective of the Project is to finalise a survey of the energy requirements of the coastal sector of the Region of Valparaíso including assessing for the first time wave resources at Robinson Crusoe Island.
The intention is to include also Easter Island in the assessment during a second phase of the Project according to the feasibility and support from the Government.
Image: Carnegie Wave Energy