The world is running increasingly short of freshwater. It is estimated that nearly 2/3rds of the entire world will be water scarce by the year 2030. Only 0.01% of all the water in the world is accessible without seawater desalination.

However, desalination is very energy intensive and is, therefore, a significant greenhouse gas emitter. A 500kL/day desalination plant emits the equivalent of nearly 1,000,000 tonnes of CO2 per year or an extra 220,000 cars on the road every year*.

Carnegie was the first wave energy company to generate both power and freshwater onshore as part of its Perth Wave Energy Project at Garden Island in Western Australia. The Australian Department of Defence was the offtaker for both the power and water which was used to supply Australia’s largest naval base located on Garden Island.