Ocean Energy Company, BioPower Systems (BPS) has developed the 250kW bioWAVE power unit. The pilot unit is planned for installation off the coast of Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia, later this year. It features a 26m-tall oscillating structure that sways back-and-forth beneath the ocean swell to capture wave energy and convert it into electricity. In case of extreme wave events, the structure will lay flat against the seabed.

The project is supported by $11m and $5m grants from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) and the Victorian Government, respectively and $5m equity from $5m. Arena CEO said: If successfully installed, bioWAVE technology will be the second Arena supported wave energy device supplying energy to a major Australian grid, feeding 250kW of renewable energy into the national electricity market. Planned to be installed in November, the bioWAVE will undergo testing and an independent performance assessment for a year. This data will inform the design of a larger 1MW commercial-scale bioWAVE unit, planned as the next phase of development for the technology,