Achieving the CEI 2020 goal via Ocean Energy

In the CEI report the government has established a goal of having 20% of Australia’s electricity being produced from renewable sources by 2020. This equates to 8875GWh (Giga watt hours) [1]. Analysis of oceans along Australia’s southern coastline shows wave conditions in this area would allow for capture of electricity 97.5% of the year [2].

For every 1 MW (Mega Watt) wave farm, extracting electricity 97.5% of the year will produce 8.541GWh a year ( 1MW =1000GW). Even calculated conservatively at only 80% power out put for a 1MW station will be 7GWh a year. This would mean only 1268 MW capacity of wave farms in operation will meet the Governments 20% renewable energy target. The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) and Carnagie report on ‘Australia’s Wave Energy Future’, anticipates that Carnagie’s (CETO) technology alone could exceed this goal providing 1500MW of wave farm capacity by 2020 [3]. Ocean Power alone can meet and surpass the Governments renewable energy goal.

Click on this link to download the PDF of the complete report in to Wave Energy by Carnagie & WWF and to read more into WWF campaign for renewable energy.

http://www.wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/powertochange/

Ocean power can meet this goal by producing electricity at a cost, according to a cost comparison by Unenergy, less than that of coal and nuclear power and at approximately the same cost as wind power [4]. Currently the Australian government supports the use of fossil fuels with 6 billion dollars worth of subsidies a year [5]. By redirecting just some of this budget, the government would be able to start producing electricity sourced for the ocean in Australia now.

1. Australian Government, Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, http://www.orer.gov.au/legislation/index.html#act-amendments.

2./3. World Wildlife Fund, Power to Change: Australia’s Wave Energy Future report, http://www.wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/powertochange/.

4. Unlimited Natural Energy: Cost Comparison of Energy Supply Technologies, http://unenergy.org/.

5. Chris Reidy, Public Subsidies and incentives to fossil fuel production and consumption in Australia: A DraftDiscussion Paper, University of Technology Sydney, November 2001. www.isf.uts.edu.au/publications/reidy.htm.

Campaign Letter

Simply copy and paste the letter below, fill in your name and address, and then send it off to either one or all the MPs listed here.

Or if you would prefer to post this letter,  click here to download a copy in PDF form to print off. You will find the relevant postal addresses to send it to in the first link given.

We thank you for your time and effort!

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Dear Minister,

I am writing to urge your support in channelling funding from the Clean Energy Initiative (CEI) [1] to Ocean Power technologies. I acknowledge the CEI as a step in the right direction towards Australia’s clean energy future, however I criticise its preference in funding the coal industry and other renewable technologies over ocean energy.

Ocean energy is renewable and produces zero carbon emissions. It is also capable of exceeding the federal government’s target of 20% renewable energy by 2020 [2]. Australia’s southern coastline has conditions that allow for capture of electricity 97.5% of the year [3]. Even calculated at a conservative 80% we would only require 1268 MW capacity farms to meet the 2020 goal. The ‘Australia’s Wave Energy Future’ report anticipates that CETO’s technology alone would exceed this goal [4].

With 80% of the Australian population living within 100 kilometres of the coast [5], ocean Power is waiting on the doorstep to meet our energy requirements. Wave Farms are also capable of providing 3,210 jobs by 2020 and a further 14,380 by 2050 [6]. Additionally, Unlike solar and wind power, Ocean Energy does not require sequestration of precious land. Bio Power’s Buoy system design emulates the surrounding plant life and poses no threat to surface or underwater wildlife [7].

The Australian government continues to support the fossil fuels with 6 billion dollars worth of subsidies a year [8] and already over half of the 4.5 billion dollar CEI budget is to be spent on carbon capture, ultimately encouraging continued fossil fuel use. By redirecting part of this budget, Australia could be producing environmentally sound Ocean Energy electricity.

I respectfully request your support in petitioning government for an appropriate share of CEI budget and for additional federal funding for Commercial Wave Farms establishment to provide energy and protect the environment for current and future generations.

I look forward to hearing from you in regards to this request.

Yours sincerely,



Name:

Address:



Ocean Power Now Campaign: http://oceanpowernow.blogspot.com/

1. Australian Government, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, http://www.ret.gov.au/Department/Documents/CEI_Fact_Sheet.pdf.

2. Australian Government, Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, http://www.orer.gov.au/legislation/index.html#act-amendments.

3./4./5./6. World Wildlife Fund, http://www.wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/powertochange/.

7. BioPower Systems, www.biopowersystems.com.

8. Chris Reidy, Public Subsidies and incentives to fossil fuel production and consumption in Australia: Discussion Paper, November 2001. www.isf.uts.edu.au/publications/reidy.htm.

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