Surfs up with solar power

If Australia’s third surf park goes ahead in Perth, part of its electricity supply will be generated by solar panels.

Wave Park Group have lodged a formal proposal with the City of Melville to develop URBNSURF Perth at a 4.4ha site located at Tompkins Park, Alfred Cove; just 9km south of Perth’s Central Business District.

As with other surfing lagoons being developed by Wave Park Group, it will feature technology capable of producing waves up to 1.7 metres high.

The energy required to power the facility will be generated by on-site solar power and off-site renewable energy sources. The company says the facility will use around the same amount of energy each year as that of a typical indoor aquatic centre.

The facility will also feature other sustainable design elements and water catchment/saving systems plus recycling, re-use of materials and local sourcing during construction in an effort minimize any environmental impacts.

Read more

http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/solar-power-surfing-em5635/

The article says solar power and other off site renewables will be used to power the facility.  I wonder if that would include wave energy?  Wave energy to produce waves, I like that.

Perhaps a few of the early balloon like Ceto 1 devices made out of rubber could be used to recycle the power from the waves. .

If not, a project of this size would be well within EMCs capability to produce a solar array to help power the facility.