By Tyler Seed
While much attention on renewables in recent years has focussed on solar and wind technologies, awareness has been growing around the enormous energy generating potential of the Earth's oceans. A 2005 report from the Electric Power Research Institute stated that wave power properly and effectively harnessed, would likely have minimal environmental impact, and be much less visible on the landscape, than competing technologies. At the same time, waves possess the advantage of being more predictable than either wind or solar, which in principle makes ocean power a more reliable source of energy.
The rapidly expanding field of wave power is rife with innovation and an extraordinarily diverse range of approaches. Several technologies have been, and are being, developed and tested in coastal regions around the world. So far however, technical challenges involved in engineering a sufficiently inexpensive, efficient and reliable method of extracting this energy have proven difficult enough that as yet there is no agreed upon 'best way' to do it.
Among the significant difficulties facing engineers of commercially viable wave power have been durability in storms, and low generating capacity factors resulting from the difficulties of extracting a steady load from constantly shifting wave motions. Irregular and alternating wave motions lead to large variations of the power produced, severely limiting the power output of many Wave Energy Converters (WEC).
Mikael Sidenmark, founder of Ocean Harvesting Technologies, and the inventor of the Ocean Harvester (pictured above), has developed a method of generating electricity from waves that offers compelling and cost-efficient solutions to these problems.
As Sidenmark explains:
A buoy follows the wave motions at the surface. When the wave rises, a drum inside the buoy is rotated by a mooring line wound around it, converting vertical motion into a rotation. This is a very efficient way of extracting energy from waves that is independent of the wave sizes and has been used in earlier technologies.
What is unique with the Ocean Harvester is the way a counterweight is used to achieve a leveled and controlled load on the generator. As a result, excess energy from larger waves can be accumulated and used to compensate for shortage from smaller waves. In combination with the flexible mooring, this also composes a simple and efficient storm protection system.
Together, these characteristics result in an exceptionally high capacity factor.
The system should produce a consistent level of power throughout the wave motion, over changing wave sizes, and even in storms. Besides generating efficiently and evenly, the simplicity of its design will allow the Ocean Harvester to be easily protected in rough conditions, and make its manufacture impressively cost-efficient.
Ocean Harvesting Technologies is currently planning a two-year scale model testing period, slated to begin in March 2009 in the coastal Blekinge region of Sweden, on the Baltic Sea. The company expects the Ocean Harvester to enter the commercial market in 2013.
The AquaBuOY
Image source: Finavera
Institutions across Sweden are researching further possibilities of wave energy. Among those with notable programs are Uppsala University, Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) (where wave power research initiated with the Ocean Harvester in February 2008), and at Chalmers University of Technology, where researchers were involved in pioneering the AquaBuoy, a concept now being tested on a commercial scale.
Read more about innovations in wave energy in the Worldchanging archives:
Wave Energy (2005)
The Wave Hub (2006)
Biomimetic Ocean Power (2006)
Graphic Series: Earthly Ideas, Week 10: Ocean Power (2008)
Tyler Seed is completing a Masters' degree in Sustainability at Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona, Sweden
Showing posts with label wave power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wave power. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2009
Monday, September 15, 2008
alternative fuels
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOLUTIONS STRUGGLE TO GAIN TRACTION
HOUSTON, TX, August 12, 2008 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Concerned about high energy prices, many Americans are demanding increased implementation of alternative energy solutions such as wind power, ocean wave electricity and solar energy. However, despite the calls for change, many of these technologies have not been implemented on a broad scale, mainly due to politics and the overwhelming influence of special interest groups.
One such example is the Lever Operated Pivoting Float, created by Swell Fuel. The patent-pending device uses a pivoting float and a lever arm that unfolds to capture the up and down motion of ocean waves, producing electricity in the process.
“There’s a big misconception that this type of technology is some concept that’s years away from being implemented,” says Christopher Olson, inventor and founder of Swell Fuel.
“However, ocean wave energy is available right now but falling on deaf ears because too many people are continuing to accept the status quo,” he adds.
The frustrations continue to mount for companies like Swell Fuel, as evidenced by the recent stalemate by Congress to extend tax credits for renewable energy investments that expire at the end of the year.
Olson warns that if significant change is not implemented soon, we will soon reach the “tipping point of no return.”
“During the oil shock of the seventies, many inventors worked tirelessly to create change but were ignored and underfunded,” he says. “Unless we take immediate action, history will repeat itself and lots of great inventions and technologies will fall by the wayside.”
Licensed in several Central American countries, Swell Fuel’s ocean wave energy converters are efficient and easy to use. In fact, Olson claims that just about anyone is capable of assembling one of his pivoting floats.
“If you can put a bicycle together, you’ll be able to assemble one of these,” he notes.
Although the prototypes vary in size and scale, Olson believes his technology can be used to eventually produce at least 100 Kilowatts per hour with only one device.
He is urging others to demand action for not just his technology, but other renewable energy solutions like it that are currently available for use.
“We cannot wait around hoping that the person next to us will do something,” he says. “Everyone needs to get involved -- time is running out.”
For more information, visit www.swellfuel.com.
Contact:
Chris Olson
info@swellfuel.com
281-380-8954
HOUSTON, TX, August 12, 2008 --/WORLD-WIRE/-- Concerned about high energy prices, many Americans are demanding increased implementation of alternative energy solutions such as wind power, ocean wave electricity and solar energy. However, despite the calls for change, many of these technologies have not been implemented on a broad scale, mainly due to politics and the overwhelming influence of special interest groups.
One such example is the Lever Operated Pivoting Float, created by Swell Fuel. The patent-pending device uses a pivoting float and a lever arm that unfolds to capture the up and down motion of ocean waves, producing electricity in the process.
“There’s a big misconception that this type of technology is some concept that’s years away from being implemented,” says Christopher Olson, inventor and founder of Swell Fuel.
“However, ocean wave energy is available right now but falling on deaf ears because too many people are continuing to accept the status quo,” he adds.
The frustrations continue to mount for companies like Swell Fuel, as evidenced by the recent stalemate by Congress to extend tax credits for renewable energy investments that expire at the end of the year.
Olson warns that if significant change is not implemented soon, we will soon reach the “tipping point of no return.”
“During the oil shock of the seventies, many inventors worked tirelessly to create change but were ignored and underfunded,” he says. “Unless we take immediate action, history will repeat itself and lots of great inventions and technologies will fall by the wayside.”
Licensed in several Central American countries, Swell Fuel’s ocean wave energy converters are efficient and easy to use. In fact, Olson claims that just about anyone is capable of assembling one of his pivoting floats.
“If you can put a bicycle together, you’ll be able to assemble one of these,” he notes.
Although the prototypes vary in size and scale, Olson believes his technology can be used to eventually produce at least 100 Kilowatts per hour with only one device.
He is urging others to demand action for not just his technology, but other renewable energy solutions like it that are currently available for use.
“We cannot wait around hoping that the person next to us will do something,” he says. “Everyone needs to get involved -- time is running out.”
For more information, visit www.swellfuel.com.
Contact:
Chris Olson
info@swellfuel.com
281-380-8954
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