Tuesday, August 28, 2012


Next wave: New approach could double marine energy generation

by Joshua Hill

A team of researchers has found that energy produced from the ocean could increase twofold if a new novel method of predicting the power of an incoming wave is used.
Researchers from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom and Tel Aviv University in Israel presented their findings in the journal Renewable Energy, finding that they could extract more than double the energy currently generated after determining the oncoming power of the next wave.
There have been many barriers to a greater implementation of marine power as a renewable technology moving forward: experts have stated that the extraction of energy from waves is not up to the same level as that derived from solar or wind; marine energy is not commercially competitive without the inclusion of heavy subsidies; and devices are more often than not damaged by the waves they are trying to harness.
But this new study helps deal with these issues.
“Our research has the potential to make huge advances to the progress of marine renewable energy,” said first author Dr Guang Li of the University of Exeter. “There are significant benefits to wave energy but progressing this technology has proved challenging. This is a major step forward and could help pave the way for wave energy to play a significant role in providing our power.”

No comments:

Post a Comment