Carnegie Updates on Wave-Powered Desalination Plant

In December 2013, Carnegie announced the award of the manufacturing and construction contract for its wave powered Desalination Pilot Plant to Perth-based MAK Industrial Water Solutions. MAK Industrial Water Solutions is an experienced provider of reverse osmosis desalination solutions throughout Western Australia and nationally.

Manufacturing of the pilot is now well advanced with the assembly of the first elements of the containerised Reverse Osmosis filtration plant. Key elements of the desalination plant control system have also now been successfully tested by process control system supplier ABB in their facilities in Victoria and now delivered to Perth. The mechanical assembly of the hydraulic motor (the key interface with the Perth Wave Energy Project onshore power plant) will now follow.

The containerised desalination plant is on track for Factory Acceptance Testing at MAK Industrial Water Solution’s Perth facility ahead of delivery to the Garden Island onshore site in mid-March 2014.

Additionally, Carnegie can also advise that the drilling of the seawater intake bore and installation of the bore casing at the onshore site on Garden Island is now complete. The seawater intake bore was selected due to the geology of the site and the associated reduction in seawater pre-filtration systems to supply the desalination plant. Head works and commissioning of the pump set will follow in the coming weeks.

Carnegie also received a quarterly grant payment of $224,462 as part of a $1.27m AusIndustry grant that supports the design, construction and operation of a CETO wave powered desalination pilot plant. This is the fourth quarterly payment received and takes the total funds received to date to $833,524 which is approximately 65% the total grant funding.

Press release, February 12, 2014; Image: carnegie