By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2008-11-13 06:30
$4 billion investment required
Ocean power is still a minor in the renewable energy sector. It consists mainly of wave power and tidal stream power, and both technologies have only just embarked on their first commercial projects. Today, less than 10 MW of ocean power capacity has been installed. However, according to a report by Greentech Media and the Prometheus Institute for Sustainable Development, this technology could reach 1 GW of installed capacity and grid parity within six years from now.
Such progression would require $2 billion of investment in research, design and development and another $2 billion in commercial production and installation. Compare those figures with the $500 million investment made between 2001 and 2007.
How this technology will develop in the next few years depends greatly on the investment climate and the willingness of the power sector to buy in to these type of projects. These, in turn, depend on the readiness of governments to create dedicated policies and incentives for this sector.
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By Fernando Nuno / Published on Tue, 2008-04-15 11:19
As a complement to the paper of Leão Rodrigues about wave power conversion systems for electricity production, watch this short video of a real pelamis engine in operation in the sea.
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By Frederik Groeman / Published on Tue, 2007-10-23 16:43
Frederik Groeman & Kees van den Ende, KEMA
When a river runs into the ocean and fresh water mixes with saltwater, huge amounts of energy are unleashed. Unlike violent torrents in a waterfall or steaming hot geysers, the energy released cannot easily be seen from the banks of the estuary. Nevertheless, the energy is there, and everyone who has tried to separate salt from seawater knows that large amounts of energy are needed.
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By Sergio Ferreira / Published on Thu, 2007-08-09 15:49
Renewables are trendy, that is undisputable, but some concerns are being raised about the “invasion of nature” we need to do in order to meet our energy needs using renewable energy sources. The lacks of materials, workforce for maintenance or even land to install renewable technologies are some of the issues being raised.
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By David Schmetterer / Published on Tue, 2007-03-27 22:11
Just as it seems like solar is about to turn the corner, wind power technology is out of its adolescence, and even Biodiesel has its own day (March 18th, Rudolf Diesel's Birthday), there isn't much left to do but twiddle our thumbs and wait around for these technologies to be refined and adopted. The people at Verdant power have other ideas. They have developed riverine, or tidal, 'kinetic' hydropower. It requires no damming or redirection of water, and uses relatively small slow spinning turbines which resemble wind turbines. They are currently testing it in New York City's East River, powering a parking garage and a supermarket on Roosevelt Island. The technology is clean, out of sight, and the New York State Energy and Research Authority (NYSERDA) has identified over a Gigawatt (1,000 Megawatts) of potential capacity in the state. California has identified over 1.5 Gigawatts of potential (put into perspective, 1 GW is enough power to run approximately 1 million homes).
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Fri, 2007-03-02 08:30
Electricity from the difference in salt concentration
Blue energy is a special way of harnessing solar energy. The sun evaporates sea water, leaving the minerals behind in the sea. The evaporation creates clouds, which then fall back onto the earth as rain and snow, creating rivers of fresh water that flow back into the sea. The difference in the salt concentration between the river water and sea water can be used to generate electricity.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2007-01-11 08:30
Potential contribution to the energy mix still unknown
There is a growing consensus as to the degree renewable energy sources will be able to contribute to the energy mix in the next 20 years. However there is one element that may be underestimated; the power of the oceans.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Fri, 2006-12-22 08:30
Due for commissioning in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
The world's largest wave powered electricity generation plant is almost ready to go into operation on the coast of Póvoa de Varzim in northern Portugal. It uses the same Pelamis system from Pelamis Wave Power (formerly Ocean Power Delivery Ltd) that was successfully tested at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. It consists of three 750 kW units, for a total of 2.25 MW. Two units have already been installed at the site. The third unit is currently being assembled at the Peniche shipyard.
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Fri, 2006-10-06 05:56
Statkraft in Norway has, for some time, developed concepts for osmotic power, i.e. the power from the differences in pressure between salt seawater and sweet freshwater, the latter passing through a membrane (see figure below).
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Thu, 2006-09-14 05:26
One thing seems fairly sure about the future of sustainable energy systems, and that is that they will use a wider variety of resources and be less dependent on a few sources than at present. Still, we may have to take a step back and consider our options. Biofuels will be part of the solution, but may not be the only solution. So we are warned by Professor Peter Crane, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Wed, 2006-09-13 05:30
The birth of a new industry
2005 was a breakthrough year for ocean energy. The Annual Report of the Ocean Energy Systems Department (OES) of the International Energy Agency (IEA) even calls it ‘the birth of a new industry’. Indeed, the first order for a commercial wave farm took place in 2005 with Ocean Power Delivery signing a deal with a Portuguese consortium for the installation of three units capable of 750kW each.
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By Hans De Keulenaer / Published on Sun, 2006-02-26 19:44
Harnessing 20% of the US offshore wave energy potential at 50% efficiency could make a contribution to the US electricity supply equivalent to conventional hydro (around 200 TWh). In addition, there is potential from tidal currents, currently that is still under investigation (reference). According to a white paper from EPRI's Ocean Energy Programme, the world installed capacity for ocean wave power is 2.29 MW, as of September 1, 2005.
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