Sustt: Is the tide finally turning for wave power?
?? In-depth insight
Wave energy
First MW-scale wave energy project launched in Portugal – is the tide finally turning for wave power?
?? Written by Nicola Watts : "As the world’s energy demands continue to rise, finding more renewable, clean sources is critical. I think this story is particularly exciting as the ocean holds so much potential in helping to meet global energy needs. Waves are highly predictable and the energy they generate will be compatible with wind and solar, helping to balance out variability of these renewable sources. Although the production of wave energy is not yet available at the commercial scale, Eco Wave Power’s technology and others in development will bring this closer to reality."
What's happening? Eco Wave Power has launched its first MW-scale wave energy project in Porto, Portugal. The project, part of a 20 MW concession agreement with Administra??o dos Portos do Douro, Leix?es e Viana do Castelo (APDL), aims to expand gradually to full capacity. The Swedish-Israeli energy developer will handle licensing, construction and commissioning. The project supports Portugal's goal of generating 85% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, up from 61% in 2023. Eco Wave Power’s equipment will be installed in a room called "The Gallery" beneath the breakwater, which will later become a wave energy museum and education centre. (Offshore Energy)?
Why does this matter? The potential annual global production of wave energy could be as much as 29,000 TWh, making it one of the world's largest untapped sources of renewable energy, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In addition to wave energy, other technologies geared towards marine energy include tidal energy, sea water air conditioning (SWAC), ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), and salinity gradient. Many demonstration projects are in the pipeline or already underway, meaning the commercial availability of wave energy is getting closer.??
How it works – Eco Wave Power’s technology relies on floaters that convert the rising and falling motion of waves into electricity. The movement of the floaters compresses and decompresses hydraulic pistons to transmit biodegradable hydraulic fluid into land-based accumulators. Pressure builds up inside the accumulators, which rotates a hydraulic motor to drive a generator with electricity transferred to a grid via an inverter. The hydraulic fluid then flows back into a tank for re-use. The fully modular and scalable system can be attached to pre-existing structures, such as piers, jetties and breakwaters, reducing environmental impact.??
Other wave projects – Ocean Energy USA, a subsidiary of Ocean Energy Group Ireland, has developed a different system, the OE-35, which is said to be the world’s first grid-scale wave energy converter (WEC). The 826-ton buoy, recently deployed at the US Navy’s test site in Hawaii, traps air, which is forced under pressure to drive a built-in turbine to generate electricity as the waves oscillate...
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