Marshall Brain's Blog

Here are three different companies that are trying to extract power from ocean waves in three completely different ways. All three sites have illustrations and explanations that show the different approaches. It's interesting to look at all three. It's also interesting to try thinking of your own new solution to the problem.

1. Ocean Power Delivery Limited: "OPD announces the signing of an order with a Portuguese consortium, led by Enersis, to build the first phase of the world's first commercial wave-farm. The initial phase will consist of three Pelamis P-750 machines located 5km off the Portuguese coast."
   
   
2. Ocean Power Technologies, Inc.: "Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (OPT) is the leader in cost-effective, advanced, and environmentally sound offshore wave power technology. The electrical power generated by OPT's technology is key to meeting the energy needs of utilities, independent power producers and the public sector. OPT's PowerBuoy™ system extracts the natural energy in ocean waves, and is based on the integration of patented technologies in hydrodynamics, electronics, conversion mechanics, and computer control systems."
   
   
3. WAVEenergy: "Established in February 2004, the company's main objective is to develop the Seawave Slot-Cone Generator (SSG) concept. Wave Energy is the owner of the patented wave power concept, which stores the incoming waves in several reservoirs placed one above the other. Using this method practically all waves, regardless of size and speed, are captured for energy production."

See also Replacing peak oil with waves.