Negotiations are underway to build a wave energy test site in the East End by the end of next year.

Bermudian company Triton Renewable Energy is discussing housing the renewable energy facility at a BLDC (Bermuda Land Development Company) reverse osmosis plant in St. David's.

Offshore, it plans to locate CETO technology at a sandhole 1.5 km offshore, to harness the power of the ocean.

The pilot facility would generate two megawatts of electricity and be the first commercial use of the CETO technology following testing in Ireland and Australia.

Triton Renewable Energy has teamed up with Isle-of-Man company Renewable Energy Holdings (REH) and French company EDF Energies Nouvelles S.A., in a joint venture called Renewable Energy Bermuda (REB).

If the pilot plant proves successful, Triton Renewable Energy hopes to increase output to 20 megawatts with a facility the size of three football fields.

This would provide between 15 and 20 percent of Bermuda's energy needs, according to environmental projects manager Dr. Annie Glasspool.

"We've been talking to BLDC, Belco and Government, and the signs so far are very encouraging," said Dr. Glasspool.

"We hope to get the facility up and running by the end of 2010 but are now seeking feedback from the community. We want to ensure that the interests of the whole community are taken into consideration.

"We've been having meetings with special interest groups and obviously all the local environmental groups. But as we're in the early days of the process, there are still some key groups we have yet to talk with.

"It's important to us therefore to ensure that we communicate the facts and explain the process we are taking effectively. I would certainly urge anyone who has any questions to contact us," she said.

"We will also be ensuring that we do our best to take every opportunity to talk this through with the public as we start to move things forwards."

The CETO technology works akin to a bicycle pump. Water-filled buoys bob up and down in the waves, drawing seawater into pumps. The water is propelled through pipes to a shoreside turbine and electricity is then produced into the grid.

"It is very environmentally-friendly as it does not produce electricity in the water and there's no oil or harmful lubricants," said Dr. Glasspool. "There are zero emissions so it is clean energy with a minimal visual impact and noise."

Triton Renewable Energy managing director Tim Hasselbring started researching different ocean technologies with company partner Jeff Manson seven years ago. Eventually they decided on CETO as the most suitable renewable energy technology for the Island.

"We discovered this technology in its early stages in 2003 at a conference in Ireland," said Mr. Hasselbring.

"Although it has been tested in Ireland and Australia, the CETO development company want Bermuda to be the first commercial site.

"It's a very simple device which operates in a similar way to a bicycle pump. We've now entered into negotiations with BLDC, and so we are very excited about the project. Everyone seems to be enthusiastic about it."

He said the next stage of the process would be to produce an Environmental Impact Assessment.

"We have teamed up with local environmentalists and feel this facility is certainly now within the realms of possibility," said Mr. Hasslebring.