Wave
Table of Contents
Introduction
Wave energy is expected to be able to fulfil 10-20% of the world's energy needs.
The places that may benefit most from tidal and wave energy include:
Coastal Communities (especially isolated communities)
Islands
Island Resorts
This is because these types of locations tend to be highly dependent on diesel generators for power supply.
Europe
OEE believes that "By 2050, ocean energy can provide 10% of Europe’s current electricity needs and 500,000 jobs, and is all set to become a new European industry."
Around Ireland and the UK, ocean energy is predicted to be able to provide capacity for 15-25% of our energy grid. As of 2020 renewables make up 43% of our energy production, but other than offshore wind, we have very little wave or tidal energy production yet.
North America
Some countries, such as the USA which has a significant amount of coastline, it is estimated that wave technology could potentially provide over 60% of the national energy needs. - World Economic Forum
How Waves Could Power A Clean Energy Future a 14:56 minute video
Current Concerns
"Ocean power generation needs to grow by 33% a year to achieve a net-zero world by 2050, says the International Energy Agency."
Potential Harm to Wildlife
"Cables, turbines and other infrastructure could potentially harm marine life." - World Economic Forum
Countries around the world are switching to HVDC and HVAC cables for their major electricity projects, but unfortunately these give off EMFs which can influence the migration patterns and other behaviors of marine life. - https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1633088
Wildlife-Friendly Solutions
One way we can help reduce impact on wildlife would be to incorporate Marine Spatial Planning which uses data about migration pathways as well as human uses of marine spaces to ensure less death or other problems for both wildlife and humans. We have some information about Marine Spatial Planning on our Wildlife Corridor page.
Wave Technology
Wave technology has to be highly robust and adaptable due to the massive variety of wave activity and strength. Weather changes and the corrosive nature of ocean water both work against man-made and natural objects.
Types of Wave Systems
This section focuses on some existing designs for catching wave energy, additional components such as cabels and anchoring systems are listed under Additional Components. These items are listed alphabetically, since we don't currently have data on which are more efficient yet.
You may also be interested in reading
The Liquid Grid: Wave Energy "A technology brief on wave energy converters (WECs) that harvest energy from ocean waves"
The Liquid Grid: 8 Ways to Use Waver Energy That Don't Involve the Energy Grid "eight real-world examples where wave energy is being used to provide useful energy for non-grid applications."
Attenuator
"An attenuator is a floating device which operates parallel to the wave direction and effectively rides the waves. These devices capture energy from the relative motion of the two arms as the wave passes them." - EMEC
Bulge Wave
"Bulge wave technology consists of a rubber tube filled with water, moored to the seabed heading into the waves. The water enters through the stern and the passing wave causes pressure variations along the length of the tube, creating a ‘bulge’. As the bulge travels through the tube it grows, gathering energy which can be used to drive a standard low-head turbine located at the bow, where the water then returns to the sea." - EMEC
Cycoidal Wave Energy Converter
mWave
The mWave design uses modules with membranes fixed to a long chamber. Air is pushed in and out of the system as waves push and pull on the membranes. The air pushes turbines and is recycled back into the system.
Since the modules are under the waves they are expected to have minimal impact on ocean activities or wildlife.
Oscillating Energy Converter
Oscillating Wave Surge Converters
"Oscillating wave surge converters extract energy from wave surges and the movement of water particles within them. The arm oscillates as a pendulum mounted on a pivoted joint in response to the movement of water in the waves." - EMEC
Oscillating Water Column
"An oscillating water column is a partially submerged, hollow structure. It is open to the sea below the water line, enclosing a column of air on top of a column of water. Waves cause the water column to rise and fall, which in turn compresses and decompresses the air column. This trapped air is allowed to flow to and from the atmosphere via a turbine, which usually has the ability to rotate regardless of the direction of the airflow. The rotation of the turbine is used to generate electricity." - EMEC
Overtopping / Terminator Device
"Overtopping devices capture water as waves break into a storage reservoir. The water is then returned to the sea passing through a conventional low-head turbine which generates power. An overtopping device may use ‘collectors’ to concentrate the wave energy." - EMEC
Point Absorber
"A point absorber is a floating structure which absorbs energy from all directions through its movements at/near the water surface. It converts the motion of the buoyant top relative to the base into electrical power. The power take-off system may take a number of forms, depending on the configuration of displacers/reactors." - EMEC
Rotating Mass
"Two forms of rotation are used to capture energy by the movement of the device heaving and swaying in the waves. This motion drives either an eccentric weight or a gyroscope causes precession. In both cases the movement is attached to an electric generator inside the device." - EMEC
Submerged Pressure Differential
"Submerged pressure differential devices are typically located near shore and attached to the seabed. The motion of the waves causes the sea level to rise and fall above the device, inducing a pressure differential in the device. The alternating pressure pumps fluid through a system to generate electricity." - EMEC
WaveNET
The waveNet design consists of a web of buoyant arms which rise and fall on the surface of the water. These are modular and are supposed to be able to harvest water no matter how big or small the waves are. When the system is scaled up with more modules connected, the system is supposed to become more efficient.
Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Turbine Technology
Uniwave® "The Wave Swell Energy (WSE) technology is based on the well-established concept of the oscillating water column (OWC).
The OWC is an artificial blowhole consisting of a chamber that is open underneath the waterline. As waves pass the OWC, the water rises and falls inside, forcing the air to pass by a turbine at the top of the chamber. This turbine generates electricity.
Previous OWC technologies have all been bidirectional. The WSE technology, however, operates unidirectionally. This results in the WSE turbine being simpler, more robust and reliable, and exhibiting a higher energy conversion efficiency. The only moving parts in the technology are the turbine and bespoke valves, all of which are well above the water line. There are no moving parts in or below the water."
This system consists of an air chamber which creates pressure and vacuum as the waves rise and fall. The air movement caused by the vacuum and pressure spins a turbine without the high corrosion rate associated with ocean water when it interacts with metal.
Additional Components
Cables
Junction Box
These can have capacity for 10-50 devices, with one larger export cable that will then run along the seafloor. Towards land the cable must be buried to reduce impact on marine life.
Mooring & Anchoring System
"A mooring is a fixture to which a device may be secured. At sea there are many mooring methods that can be used to secure a device to the seabed. The main categories of moorings are identified below, however there are other options available – see Aquaret website for more details. The mooring and anchor examples provided have been used across the tidal, wave and floating wind industry."
Impacts on Marine Life
Marine Noise Pollution
Noise pollution can seriously impact marine organisms from plankton to marine mammals. Our oceans are constantly getting noisier, making it harder for species throughout the ocean food chain to survive. Most of the noise pollution is from shipping channels, but large construction projects are also a risk. In the case of wave energy production, this may occur when anchors are placed on the seabed.
Bubble Curtains
Bubble curtains have been deployed in rivers and bays to help capture and direct debris (plastic pollution and invasive plant species) to collection points, but they've also been found to dampen noise pollution. In some cases they can entirely eliminate the harmful effects of noise pollution on some species, though they may only have limited protective qualities for others.
Testing Locations
Asia
China
Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion (GIEC) "has been fully devoted to the R&D of new energy and renewable energy, such as biomass energy, solar energy, geothermal energy, ocean energy, natural gas hydrate and etc. Besides, energy conservation, environmental protection technologies, and energy strategy research are also paid great attention in recent years.
In response to the needs of national energy strategic development, the institute sets up two important breakthrough targets in the period of 2011 to 2015. They are large-scale & efficient biomass energy utilization and R&D of distributed renewable energy systems respectively. Moreover, natural gas hydrate exploitation and storage, large-scale power generation by using ocean and geothermal energy, solar functional materials, low-carbon development strategies, are also determined as the important incubation R&D areas."
Israel
Eco Wave Power "In Jaffa Port, Israel, Eco Wave Power operates an off-grid pilot power station for system improvement and modification and R&D. The station allows for the testing of new system components and floater designs & materials, with an eye towards continuously improving the EWP wave energy technology and maintaining EWP’s leading market position.
The pilot station has been operating in Jaffa Port since 2014 and since its inception has been producing clean wave energy generated electricity for testing and study."
Europe
Gibraltar
Eco Wave Power "In 2014, Eco Wave Power signed a 5MW PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) with the Government of Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Electricity Authority.
The construction was co-funded by The EU Regional Development Fund as well as private investments groups.
In May, 2016, EWP and the Government of Gibraltar held an official opening ceremony of the newly constructed wave energy power station on the east side of Gibraltar.
Now, at a former World War II Ammunition Jetty, sits the initial 100KW of a 5MW power station.
EWP’s Gibraltar project is our first grid connected project and a significant step towards the the commercialisation of the EWP technology. Today, the station is the only grid-connected wave energy array in the world, operating through a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement)."
Ireland
Simply Blue Group has wave installments off the coast of Ireland and elsewhere in Europe.
UK
EMEC "EMEC’s clients benefit from a range of ready-made and cost-minimising test and demonstration facilities in major wave and tidal resources. Significant infrastructure investments have been made to make it as easy as possible for technology developers to learn by doing, with full confidentiality of performance data." Click here to learn more about their tidal testing facilities.
North America
USA
California
AltaSea "is creating an urban, ocean-based campus at the Port of Los Angeles where ocean innovators work together"
Hawaii
U.S. Navy Wave Energy Test Site "the United States’ first grid- connected wave energy test site, was expanded to three test berths in 2015. Through a cooperative effort between the Navy and the US Department of Energy (DOE), with the support of Hawai’i Natural Energy Institute and the Hawai’i National Marine Renewable Energy Center, WETS hosts companies seeking to test their pre-commercial WEC devices in an operational setting, enabling them to advance their device transition readiness level. Several devices have already been tested. HNEI provides performance analysis, numerical modeling of devices and moorings, wave measurement and forecasting, environmental monitoring (primarily acoustics), and logistics support to the Navy and the companies deploying at WETS."
Also see: WETS (PDF) and WETS Overview Early Research (PDF)
Oregon
PacWave "PacWave is an open ocean wave energy testing facility consisting of two sites, each located just a few miles from the deep-water port of Newport, Oregon on the ever-energetic Pacific Ocean. Both PacWave sites are highly accessible and served by a diverse maritime supply chain."
Companies
International
EMEC: Wave Developers "a list of the wave energy concepts known to EMEC. This list is alphabetical by company name and is not intended to infer any endorsement by EMEC of the concept or the companies concerned. The immature nature of the industry means that some of the categorisation of devices may not perfectly fit the simplified assessment made for this website."
Bombora "Bombora’s mission is to develop a reliable, robust and cost-efficient electricity source. Using our patented mWave™ product we are unlocking the environmental and economic potential held within our oceans and seas.
We are changemakers, collaborating with strategic partners and the supply chain to make utility scale wave power a reality of the energy mix alongside wind, solar and other renewable technologies."EWPG Holding AB (publ) (“Eco Wave Power” or the ”Company“) "is a Swedish company, founded in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2011, that has developed a patented, smart and cost-efficient technology for turning ocean and sea waves into green electricity. Eco Wave Power owns and operates a wave energy array, which is connected to the grid in accordance with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)."
Oscilla Power "is a privately held company, backed by investors with deep experience in the energy and financial services industries. OPI is based in Seattle, WA and has satellite offices in Edinburgh, Scotland and Kochi, India."
Seabased "strives to generate renewable, CO2 free power in a way that is also gentle on the environment. Our wave power parks are designed to be virtually invisible and require little maintenance. The materials used, and the mechanics of the parks, are chosen to protect the water and the creatures that live in it. In fact, the parks can be designed to provide both habitat and breeding ground for marine life."
Asia
Israel
Eco Wave Power "operates an off-grid pilot power station for system improvement and modification and R&D. The station allows for the testing of new system components and floater designs & materials, with an eye towards continuously improving the EWP wave energy technology and maintaining EWP’s leading market position.
The pilot station has been operating in Jaffa Port since 2014 and since its inception has been producing clean wave energy generated electricity for testing and study."
Europe
CorPower Ocean "brings high-efficiency Wave Energy technology enabling reliable and cost-effective harvesting of electricity from ocean waves.
With our research and development spanning decades, our innovations are inspired by the pumping principle of the human heart. Ocean energy brings stability to the clean energy mix, accelerating the transition to zero-carbon energy.
Headquartered in Sweden, with offices in Portugal, Norway and Scotland, we design, build and install turnkey solutions that allow our customers to power the planet with clean energy from ocean waves."InnoEnergy: Deep Green "A tidal and ocean current power plant using the principle of a kite to reach a new level of cost competitiveness. The only proven technology that operates cost-efficiently in slow moving currents."
Denmark
Wavepiston "We are setting new innovative standards on the use of wave energy technology, ensuring flexibility and robustness in a lightweight, low-cost solution."
Weptos "World's best-performing wave energy converter with over 60% efficiency and LCoE below 30€ / MWh"
Italy
ISWEC: Energy from the Sea / L’Energia Che Viene dal Mare "We are producing electricity from wave power for offshore plants and coastal communities." / "Produciamo elettricità dal moto ondoso per gli impianti off-shore e le comunità costiere."
Netherlands
Symphony Wave Power "is a novel technology based on more than 20 years of experience in wave and tidal technology development. The technology is a product of co-makership between science and industry headed by Teamwork Technology BV in the Netherlands. It represents the knowhow of a network of expertise in Europe and beyond. Developed with support of the European Commission and with the expertise in the offshore industry.
Together we present you the new wave of renewable energy: highly efficient, invisible and environmental friendly. Symphony Wave Power’s main advantage over competitors is the simplicity of the unique design. The patented 2 key components are robust and therefore low in maintenance. Symphony truly is ocean energy made simple."
UK
Ireland
Seabased "Seabased's patented technology harnesses the power of ocean waves buoys on the surface connected to linear generators on the seabed. The waves move the buoys, lifting and lowering the translator inside the stator to generate electrical power. Our unique underwater switchgear, or Marine Substation, converts the power produced by multiple WECs into electricity suitable for grid use."
Scotland
AWS Ocean Energy "provides enabling technologies and related professional services to the emerging marine energy sector. Our current focus is on the development of wave power generation technology for Wave Energy Scotland. Typical applications for our generation systems range from powering remote oilfield infrastructure, to powering aquaculture, to providing renewable energy to remote maritime communities.
Our Archimedes Waveswing wave-power buoy is the result of 20 years of research and development and is recognised as one of the most promising concepts for the commercial generation of renewable energy from ocean waves.
Our team of engineers and scientists is focussed on the realities of delivering systems that survive the harsh conditions in an offshore environment, whilst being safe and practicable to operate, reliable and affordable.
In addition to our technology development work, we provide professional consultancy and design services in marine energy."
Mocean Energy "is committed to designing and delivering wave energy converters to provide ocean equipment and the grid with clean, carbon-free, renewable energy. "
Wales
Bombora "has developed a patented membrane-style wave energy converter, mWave™. mWave™ is unique among wave energy converters as it simultaneously addresses the cost of energy and ocean wave survivability challenges. This new approach proffers a new era for wave energy."
North America
USA
Atargis Energy Corporation "located in Pueblo, Colorado, has developed an innovative twin hydrofoil-based wave energy converter technology that will deliver the first, and only, predictable, $0.06 per kWh electricity from ocean waves. The ocean-bottom moored Cycloidal Wave Energy Converter (CycWEC) operates completely under the surface of the ocean, continuing generation even in storm conditions. The critical feedback control system combined with the patented, lift-based generation hardware, captures 95% or more of the energy in each ocean wave. The result is both very low LCOE and output scalability from 1.25 MW to 2.5 MW, and 5 MW. Atargis CycWEC's will generate affordable electricity across a range of wave climates and sea states around the globe."
CalWave "is a wave energy developer based in California. Our mission is to provide reliable, cost-effective ocean wave technologies for sustainable energy access."
OceanEnergy USA LLC "is part of the OceanEnergy Group and is actively pursuing opportunities in the US market. Marine renewables represents a market space that is relatively small at present, but is expected to grow rapidly over the coming decade. The opportunity for marine energy is that it can meet a significant percentage of the global energy demand. In the United States, the technical potential of wave energy for example could meet roughly 15% of the electricity needs, which would represent a market of about $100bn/year in electricity sales alone. Globally, wave power could meet about 5%-10% of the electric energy needs."
Oceana
Australia
Carnegie Clean Energy "Carnegie is the owner and developer of the CETO® technology, which captures energy from ocean waves and converts it into electricity.
We use the latest advances in artificial intelligence and electric machines to optimally control the device and generate electricity in the most efficient way possible.
We have a long history in ocean energy with a track record of world leading developments."Wave Swell Energy Ltd (WSE) "is an unlisted Australian public company. WSE has developed a world leading proprietary technology that converts wave energy into electrical energy.
The WSE technology produces clean, sustainable electricity without the use of any oil or other contaminants. There are no moving parts in the water. The devices can be re-floated and towed to another location. This is an exciting development as waves are predictable, reliable and a naturally occurring infinite resource."
Maps
Europe
UK
EMEC: Wave & Tidal Projects Interactive map "The RenewableUK ‘UK Marine Energy Database’ (UKMED) provides information about all known current and pipeline wave and tidal projects across the UK. Please note the locations of sites are approximate."
Organizations
Europe
Ocean Energy Europe "is the voice of the ocean energy sector in Europe and the largest network of ocean energy professionals in the world. If you're active in the sector, OEE can help your business grow." OEE is working to speed up and streamline this new industry by "calling for fit-for-purpose licensing & consenting processes, inclusive Marine Spatial Planning and appropriate grid planning."