Australia's Carnegie Completes Fabrication of Buoyancy Actuator for 80 kW CETO Wave Energy Device

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 29, Australia's Carnegie Clean Energy confirmed that the buoyancy actuator for its 80 kW CETO wave energy demonstration device has been completed in the Basque Country, Spain, and is being prepared for transport to the Port of Bilbao. The device is part of the ACHIEVE wave energy demonstration project, with the first phase of offshore deployment scheduled to begin in November at the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) in Spain.

The buoyancy actuator features a three-section modular structure, with each section manufactured separately in the Basque Country and transported by road to the Port of Bilbao. The three structural sections will be reassembled at the port quay, where ancillary components such as fenders will be installed, before being lifted into the water and towed to the designated test berth at BiMEP. At this berth, the project will install the initial mooring system and conduct verification of the floater's still-water characteristics, towing performance, and offshore installation procedures.

During fabrication of the buoyancy actuator, the project team completed physical fit-up testing between the power take-off (PTO) system and the floater structure, verifying that three PTO modules and one electrical module can be installed inside and removed from the floater. The PTO modules are currently undergoing continued mechanical assembly by specialist equipment supplier SKF, after which onshore testing of the power take-off, electrical, and control systems will be completed.

According to the latest deployment plan, the second phase of the project will begin in spring 2027. At that time, the PTO and electrical modules that have undergone onshore testing will be integrated into the buoyancy actuator to form a complete CETO wave energy generation device, and the first grid-connected tests will be conducted. The first phase of offshore deployment and the second phase of power generation system installation will be implemented separately.