Oct 5 2012
Elemental Energy Technologies (“EET”) has recently signed a ground-breaking agreement with Tenax Energy Pty Ltd (“Tenax Energy”) to install and trial their SeaUrchin™ device in Darwin’s Tropical Tidal Energy Testing Centre (T3C), signalling the start of a tidal energy industry in Darwin.
The project will see the establishment of a 2MW Pilot Plant and an associated Research and Tropical Tidal Testing Centre.
It is envisaged the pilot plant will then move towards a 10MW pilot array (multiple devices) test followed by the development of a generation facility that will deliver affordable power into Darwin. The project is expected to be generating electricity by 2015, and reach commercial scale before the end of the decade.
“Elemental Energy Technologies is the first company to formally sign on to test their innovative tidal energy device with Tenax, in Darwin” said Alan Major, Managing Director of Tenax Energy.
According to EET chairman Kim Lyle "This agreement represents a major milestone in Australia's progress to become one of the world's leading tidal energy generators.
"The T3C assists local companies like ours to develop their technology using Australia’s highly trained workforce and to develop world leading products in Australia. The T3C will help keep expertise in Australia and generate future royalty earnings for Australia.”
Darwin has good infrastructure and strategic regional proximity to growing South East Asian export markets.