Stonehenge Metals Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Yanchep Beach Joint Venture (YBJV)for collaboration on the development of a Protean Wave Energy Converter (WEC) wave farm off the coast of Western Australia.
YBJV is part of one of the largest metropolitan urban development projects in Australia, SunCity, at Yanchep in Perth’s northern coastal transport corridor.
The MOU creates a collaborative relationship to support Stonehenge as it strives to commercialise the Protean WEC technology in Australia. The Wave Farm project is expected to progress in phases involving an initial single 1.5kW demonstration buoy followed by a demonstration Wave Farm array of 30 x 1.5kW buoys (45kW).
It is expected that any subsequent larger capacity deployment would be based on a feasibility study conducted as part of the initial phases. The ultimate vision for the project involves working with the community to develop an appropriate model to create a Wave Farm to supply energy and/or water to the community.
The available wave energy resource in the vicinity of the Two Rocks Marina Breakwater, based on previous work conducted, is estimated to be in the order of 20kW per metre.
Stonehenge MD, Bruce Lane said: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the team at YBJV. We identified early on that Two Rocks would be an ideal location to demonstrate the Protean WEC technology. To be able to demonstrate the technology at Two Rocks, in the context of a potentially significant commercial project, with the support of an influential partner of YBJV’s calibre is a significant bonus for the Company.”