Wave energy developer Carnegie Wave Energy Limited has been awarded $2.5 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to support its solar, battery and wave integrated microgrid project.

The project will involve the construction and installation of a 2 MW solar PV array, a 2 MW/0.5 MWh battery energy storage system and control system both to be integrated with Carnegie’s CETO 6 technology and existing desalination plant. The project will also include augmentation of the grid connection and is supported by Western Power, the network operator who builds, maintains and operates the main electricity network in WA.

According to Carnegie, the project will begin construction before the end of 2016 and be commissioned in the first half of 2017.

ARENA CEO, Ivor Frischknecht, said, “ARENA is excited to help local companies, like Carnegie, develop new renewable energy solutions that have the potential to change the way the world generates power.”

Carnegie’s managing director and CEO, Dr Michael Ottaviano said, “The Garden Island Microgrid Project will be the first time anywhere in the world that wave energy will be combined with solar and batteries in a microgrid configuration. We look forward to completing the outstanding elements of the project including final approvals, construction award and power offtake in order to commence the project, as soon as possible.”

The award of funding is conditional upon the completion of detailed design, award of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts, approvals and permits, power off-take agreement and Department of Defence approval.