Carnegie Wave Energy has commenced construction of Australia’s first commercial wave energy project.

Stage One of the project involves the deployment of a single stand-alone commercial-scale CETO unit in the Sepia Depression, between Garden Island and Five Fathom Bank off Freemantle, Western Australia. The first facility was initially planned for Albany but Garden Island was chosen instead because the waves in Albany were too small.

Stage One of the project will have a peak capacity of 5 megawatts, generating sufficient power for around 3,500 households. The Project is forecast to create 30 jobs and save over 500,000 tonnes in greenhouse gas emissions.  Implementation of Stage One and detailed cost and design activities associated with Stage Two will be undertaken during 2010 with construction and commissioning of Stage Two scheduled for 2011.

The project will utilise Carnegie’s $12.5 million grant from the Western Australian Government announced earlier this year.