Assessing the wave energy converter potential for Australian coastal regions

Wave energy is particularly abundant along the Australian southern coastline. Harvesting wave energy using a converter could provide a sustainable alternative for electricity generation for Australia. In this paper, the performance of three different types of wave energy converter (WEC) has been evaluated spatially for Australian coastal regions using Australian Renewable Energy Atlas wave energy data. It was found one of the WECs operated with a capacity factor greater than 54.3% for a large portion of the Tasmanian western coastline, while being located close to transmission infrastructure. The levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for the WECs for these regions was in the order of $78/MWh.

► The performance of three different wave energy converter (WEC) technologies was evaluated for Australian coastal regions.
► One of these WECs was found to operate with a capacity factor greater than 54.3%.
► The levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for these WECs is in the order of $78/MWh.