Question Without Notice No. 859 asked in the Legislative Council on 28 November 2017 by Hon Colin Tincknell
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
ALBANY WAVE ENERGY PROJECT
859. Hon COLIN TINCKNELL to the Minister for Regional Development:
It was reported recently in The West Australian that the first step in the $50 million wave energy project in Albany has been installed.
(1) What is the breakdown of where the $50 million is coming from?
(2) How much, if any, are each of these bodies contributing to the project —
(a) the state government;
(b) the federal government;
(c) the local government; and
(d) private enterprise?
(3) Approximately how many homes will be provided power from the energy created?
Hon ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
I thank the member for the question.
(1) The Albany wave energy project is a $53 million project and comprises a contribution from Carnegie of 48 per cent, a contribution from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency of 22 per cent, and a contribution from the state government of 30 per cent.
(2) (a) There is $15.75 million of state government funding.
(b) There is $11.7 million of ARENA—that is the federal government—CETO 6 grant funding.
(c) Nil.
(d) Private enterprise will contribute $25.6 million.
(3) The electrical power produced from the one-megawatt wave energy converter device will be distributed into the south west interconnected system. The successful export of electricity into the south west interconnected system is a key deliverable under the agreement, with the export of one megawatt of power being enough to power around 200 homes.
This initiative is bigger than just power generation; it has the real potential to develop world-class renewable energy technologies and skills in the great southern and should help to drive new opportunities across the renewable sector in Western Australia.