Development
Limited
Resources
ASPO International
The Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas
Energy Watch Group: Oil Report Update 2008
IEA World Energy Outlook
WEO 2008 Executive Summary
As the world faces the post peak oil transistion –
Waveberg has an important role to play in our planet’s energy future.
Today, “wave power” and “ocean power” are in the news everyday. Not so long ago this was not the case. Here is a reverse chronology which documents ocean energy moving from curious innovation on the fringe to mainstream – now considered essential in the energy mix of the future.
March 2007
BBC News: Wave farms show energy potential
April 2006
BBC News: On the brink of a wave revolution
Article with five videos
Spring 2006
Oregon State University :: Terra :: Sea Power
Excerpt:
“Compared to wind — the current frontrunner in renewables — waves are a lot more efficient. That’s because of what OSU electrical engineer Annette von Jouanne calls “energy density.” “Water is about 1,000 times more dense than air,” she points out. “That means you can extract more power from a smaller volume, which in turn means lower cost.” Besides, waves roll in with a lot more regularity than wind blows. Energy is available from waves upward of 80 percent of the time, compared to 45 percent or less from wind, leading to more efficient scheduling for other energy sources on the grid.”
International Energy Agency, 2006
Renewable Energy – RD&D Priorities:
Insights from IEA Technology Programmes
Excerpt from Executive Summary:
“The oceans contain a huge amount of power capable of being exploited to generate useful energy. However, technologies to extract ocean energy are at an early stage compared to other sources of renewable energy, with a wide range of prototypes under consideration. Ocean energy technologies must solve two major problems concurrently: proving the energy conversion potential and overcoming a very high technical risk from the harsh environment of strong waves or currents. They also need to fulfil basic economic and environmental requirements including low cost, safety, reliability, simplicity, and low environmental impact. Every ocean energy concept has its own technical challenges that require RD&D work. However R&D on resource potential, energy production forecasting, simulation tools, test and measurement standards, and environmental impact, can address common barriers. Additional RD&D funding is needed to mitigate the substantial technical risk faced by device developers daring to harness the vast energies of the marine environment.”
Coordination Action on Ocean Energy:
European Commission Sixth Framework
GREEN PAPER - March 2006
A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy
Excerpt:
“While some sources of low-carbon indigenous energy are already viable, others, such as off-shore wind, wave and tidal energy need positive encouragement to be realised.”
November 2005
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI): Ocean Energy Program
International Energy Agency Briefing (1.3MB PDF)
November 2005
International Water Power and Dam Construction magazine
Spotlight on wave and tidal power
May 24, 2005
Statement of Richard A. Meyer, Ocean Energy Council
Hearing on Tax Credits for Electricity Production from Renewable Sources Committee on Ways And Means, U.S. House of Representatives
Excerpt:
- Ocean Energy outranks nuclear, oil, coal, and natural gas in net energy analysis.
Ocean Energy outranks these energy sources economically. When producing electrical power, an associated amount of energy is expended. The costs of finding, extracting, processing, transporting, and delivering energy too often goes unconsidered. Ocean energy is not the most economical: hydroelectric and geothermal rank higher. But these energy sources are found in only a limiting small number of locations. Ocean energy is widely available. - Ocean Energy has far wider potential for adding to the energy picture than other renewables including wind, biomass, geothermal and direct solar.
Renewable ocean energy has vast potential because the sun’s heat warms the entire planet, but unlike land surfaces where it is dissipated, this heat is stored in the oceans, where it is waiting to be utilized. The oceans cover over 70% of the earth’s surface. The oceans are, indisputably, the earth’s largest solar collector. And while all this energy takes up residence in the world’s oceans, it is constantly renewed and replenished. Throughout most of the world, it is available 24/7 – unlike most other solar and renewable technologies. It is truly “The 24/7 Energy”. - The U.S. is far behind Europe, China, Japan and Australia in developing renewable energy.
Offshore wind farms have been operating for several years in Denmark, Sweden, and the U.K. Two wave energy facilities have been connected to local grids off Scotland and England. France and Canada have had tidal generating installations providing power for decades. Portugal, just last month, contracted for a wavefarm off its shores. Australia has initiated two wave generating plants, and China has just authorized an offshore wind farm. OTEC plants are planned for the Mariana island of Saipan and in Tamil province in India.
PESWiki, founded August 2004, begins Directory:Ocean Wave Energy
E2I EPRI Global – January 2005
Final Report Summary - Project Definition Study
Offshore Wave Power Feasibility Demonstration Project (796K PDF)
A Compelling Case for Investing in Wave Energy RD&D
Excerpt:
“In addition to economics, there are other compelling arguments for investing in offshore wave energy technology. First, with proper siting, converting ocean wave energy to electricity is believed to be one of the most environmentally benign ways to generate electricity. Second, offshore wave energy offers a way to minimize the ’Not In My Backyard’ (NIMBY) issues that plague many energy infrastructure projects, from nuclear to coal and to wind generation. Because these devises have a very low profile and are located at a distance from the shore, they are generally not visible. Third, because wave energy is more predictable than solar and wind energy, it offers a better possibility than either solar or wind of being dispatchable and earning a capcity payment.
A characteristic of wave energy that suggests that it may be one of the lowest cost renewable energy sources is its high power density. Processes in the ocean concentrate solar and wind energy into ocean waves making it easier and cheaper to harvest. Solar and wind energy sources are much more diffuse by comparision.
... Wave energy is an energy source too important to overlook.”
2005
WAVETRAIN Research Training Network established under the European Community’s Sixth Framework Programme
Winter 2004
Ocean Renewable Energy Group (Canada) formed as "a Canadian sustainable ocean energy sector, serving domestic and export power needs & providing projects, technologies & expertise in a global market."
December 2004
Ocean Energy Council (US) formed "to improve public knowledge and acceptance of Ocean Energy as a viable resource with its own special advantages, ranking with oil, natural gas nuclear power, coal and direct solar applications in contributing to the national and international energy supply."
October 2004
E2I EPRI Assessment: Waveberg by Mirko Previsic
(164K PDF)
October 2004
Waveberg showcased at the Emerging Technologies Conference at MIT
June 2004
E2I EPRI Assessment: Offshore Wave Energy Conversion Devices
(1020K PDF)
June 2004
First International Energy Ocean Conference in Florida.
Beginning in June 2004:
Wikipedia: Wave power now features an excellent overview.
Excerpt:
“The fundamental challenges of wave power are efficiently converting wave motion into electricity and constructing devices that can survive storm damage and saltwater corrosion. Likely sources of failure include seized bearings, broken welds, and snapped mooring lines. Knowing this, designers may create prototypes that are so overbuilt that materials costs prohibit affordable production. While the industry has suffered many failures, it has benefited in recent years from increases in support from governments, universities, and angel investors. Several promising prototypes are now in operation.”
2004
Coordinated Action on Ocean Energy Project (CA-OE)
March 2003
European Wave Energy Thematic Network Final Report
Available in PDF. Site also features an extensive library of publications and industry links.
March 2003
Wave Energy Centre (WEC) founded in Portugal to encourage international collaboration.
October 2001
IEA OES Implementing Agreement on Ocean Energy Systems begins
Objectives:
- to enhance international collaboration to make ocean energy technologies a significant energy option in the mid-term future
- to lead to the deployment and commercialization of Ocean Energy Technologies. Current priorities are ocean waves and marine current systems
Oceans of Electricity
New technologies convert the motion of waves into watts
Peter Weiss, Science News, Washington, DC
April 2001
Renewable ocean energy systems becoming more viable
Anthony T. Jones, Financial Times (32K PDF)
Excerpt:
“The biggest problem in developing renewable ocean energy is obtaining the necessary capital to prove the technology. Most systems require significant amounts of funding to establish their energy efficiency conversion and to ensure reliable delivery of electricity at a unit cost target below 10 cents/kWh.”
November 1999
An Overview of Wave Energy Technologies:
Status, Performance and Costs
T. W. Thorpe, (160K PDF)
Summary:
”Wave energy has advanced significantly in the past five years. Much of this work has been undertaken by SMEs. In addition, there has been support from national and international bodies. As a result, some wave energy devices are at the end of their R&D phase (although improvements continue) and several are currently being deployed (or will be deployed in the next few years). Some devices are already competitive in niche markets; other devices require further R&D to achieve this. If current work is successful, then wave energy could make a substantial contribution to global electricity supply (with reductions in greenhouse and acid gas emissions) and supply of potable water. However, the priority for wave energy is to demonstrate the survivability and reliability of the first devices in order to overcome the credibility problems resulting from the early days of development.“
An Ocean Power First?
Today we hear many claims of wave power firsts and yet:
In 1917, Osborne H. Parsons of Halifax, Nova Scotia devised a plan to generate electric power from the motion of tides and waves. Scouting the shoreline by boat, he settled on Tribune Head at Herring Cove as the ideal site. The Parsons Ocean Power Plant was incorporated in 1922, and construction began. A lake behind Herring Cove was dammed for reserve capacity, and cribwork was built to enclose a large pontoon, preventing its lateral motion. The pontoon, attached to a lever arm running into the plant itself, provided 5000 hp at twelve feet of combined motion per minute. The company held worldwide patents on the design. With the prospect of nuclear power, however, the plant closed in 1959.
Resources
Contact
Site Map
Home
California Energy Commission: Ocean Energy
Ocean Weather Inc. Current Marine Data
University of Edinburgh Wave Power Group
