Alternative Energy: Wave-Powered Ocean Energy Technology
March 17, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Wave power can be used to generate electricity, safely and cleanly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no emissions or pollution. It’s no wonder many energy companies are investing heavily in wave power production research and development. It has been estimated that the total amount of power available from the world’s oceans, using existing technology, is around twice the current worldwide energy production. Wave power has many advantages as an alternative source of energy:
- Abundance - two thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans
- Efficency - modern technology can produce over 80% efficiency (compared to conventional coal and oil generation at between 30-45 percent efficiency)
- Clean - zero emissions
Wave power devices can be used on or off shore, with several different types in current use including:
- Oscillating water column (OWC) - a partially submerged, hollow structure which is open to the sea below the water level. Waves cause the water inside the column to rise and fall, which compresses and depresses the air inside the column. This air compression/decompression is used to drive a Wells turbine (a clever turbine design that rotate in the same direction irrespective of the airflow direction) which is used to generate electricity.
- Barrage system or tidal power plant - the simplest and oldest method of wave power production. Basically a dam is built across an inlet, incoming tidal water is allowed to breach the dam through sluice gates, then when tide recedes, water is released through turbines to create electricity.
- Floating wave devices, for example the Sea Dog pump - simple but ingenious devices that use “bouyancy blocks” as pistons to pump seawater to a shore based hydroelectric turbine. As the waves dip water is pulled into cylinder then the rising swells force water out.
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taimooribhatti on Tue, 24th Mar 2009 1:39 am
Couldn’t you have encouraged them a bit?
zelda2geek on Wed, 25th Mar 2009 8:10 am
ya but as if a fish is that dumb maybe a gold fish because they have a memory of 3.17 seconds but not other fish
zelda2geek on Sat, 28th Mar 2009 4:39 am
thats tight thats tight
fridaybot on Tue, 31st Mar 2009 7:32 am
Since the density of water is so much greater than air the blades will not have the same high rpm. Also the “wings” är shorter and designed shorter which will allow the tip speed of the blade/wing to be acceptable for marin life.
dangermackie on Fri, 3rd Apr 2009 6:19 am
Arrest all suspicous Marine Life.
KrazyTea8 on Sun, 5th Apr 2009 3:21 am
Looks good, but just a piece of advice the narration of the video comes off as really unprofessional. Not sure who you guys are, or if you serious or not, but if you are get this done up proper. People are watching this, and it’s a representation of who you are.
swim360 on Mon, 6th Apr 2009 7:43 pm
This may just work, except for the fact that we would have massive marine life death if we were to actually place turbines underwater. Take wind turbines for example, they kill many birds of pray everyday. Imagine what this would do to the fish population alone. This is a fantasy for the most part.
tbrown55 on Wed, 8th Apr 2009 8:57 am
well…I am glad “we” could have this discussion. More than one person involved in the same endeavors. It is pretty general of me to use the word we, but “we are the world..we are the children..” When a technology like this comes around, its not going to be handed out to you. You will have to secure it for your city. That means forming politico-networking groups. Once you have this technology, it will require security. I will not be able to do all of this myself. How about you? How about us?
JrANBU on Wed, 8th Apr 2009 9:49 pm
since when are you “we”? This is an idea for the world not just one country, although some can take advantage of it and use it wisly. but the point is you are not “we”.
ISinisterI on Thu, 9th Apr 2009 9:51 am
this is absolute fantasy….why dont we use nuclear instead?
pwnage0013 on Sat, 11th Apr 2009 2:45 am
okay but also it does not have to be “blades”
In a liquid medium of you had something even shaped like a corkscrew it would work too.
Terrorism would be one of my concerns though. How to guard against it.
tbrown55 on Sat, 11th Apr 2009 8:47 pm
this is great! would there have to be security for these types of technologies? we do not want sabotage or “terrorists” messing up these things once they are in place. Also, we don’t want any shipping/boating accidents.
EnterpriseFlorida on Mon, 13th Apr 2009 6:17 pm
A previous comment had asked “How do you plan to keep from chopping up fish and plant life with the gen blades?”
The Director of the Center for Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology talks to NPR about that very concern. You can listen using the link below, if you replace the (dot) with (.) YouTube won’t let me include the live link.
Eflorida(dot)com/innovationcenter(dot)aspx?id=6704
anantipathy on Wed, 15th Apr 2009 7:30 am
Who is “we” in the comment “we will power the whole world”?
I like the hydrogen under pressure thingy.
Cool animation.