Oceanlinx Wave Generator Breaks Free of Pylons and Crashes into Breakwall at Port Kembla, Australia

 A$5 million wave energy project off Port Kembla, Australia  is facing a setback after it broke free from its moorings and crashed into rocks in rough seas.  The barge-like prototype, one of the first of its type in the world, snapped free of pylons 150m offshore about 1.30pm and was swept into the eastern breakwall, where it was grounded.

The wave-to-energy barge, known as the Mk3, was at the forefront of marine renewable technology and has operated for four years.   Launched at a ceremony on March 29 by Australian Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett, it is feeding power into the Integral Energy grid.

A spokesman for the project’s Sydney-based developer, Oceanlinx, said there were more than double the required mooring lines in place to ensure its safe operation.  “The unit was safely disconnected from the power grid and efforts are now underway to retrieve the unit from the breakwater.” It will be a blow to Oceanlinx, which had been keen to prove the project was commercially viable.
 

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Posted by admin on May 17 2010. Filed under Latest Ocean News, Ocean Power Technologies & Projects. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.