Perth-based Carnegie Wave Energy is now providing power made from waves to the Australian Navy.
The Economist reported that Carnegie uses "CETO technology", which are buoys that float in the Southern Ocean generating 240kW each.
Three of the buoys are tethered to the seabed three kilometers from the vessel 'Stirling' and a naval base on Garden Island off Western Australia.
The buoys are 11 metres wide and float just beneath the surface, which helps them avoid being damaged during rough storms that are common in the region. The buoys rise and fall, which pumps pressurized water through a pump attached at the base of the tether through a pipe to a power station on Garden Island. This pressure then spins turbines that turn a generator. Currently, this accounts for around 5 per cent of the bases electricity. Moreover, the energy helps run a desalination plant on the base, where freshwater is scarce.
Carnegie is hoping to expand its operations soon.
