FEB 17

Offshore locations offer some of the most reliable and powerful sources of renewable energy, both wind and wave. Unfortunately, it's also more difficult to build the infrastructure to capture that energy. From sea-floor anchors to underwater electrical cables, it's all very complicated and expensive.

Ocean Energy Ltd. is considering these problems and wondering... why not build wave-power projects where the infrastructure is already in place? Their patent-pending device, the Wave Treader, does just that. It simply straps onto existing wind turbines and then it generates power as waves flow past. Each of these devices could create as much as 500 kW of power, increasing each wind turbine's power output by as much as 50%.

The power output can then be pushed straight into the wind farm's already-existing distribution infrastructure.

The first full-scale prototype of the Wave Treader is expected this year while commercial deployments are scheduled for 2011. One thing Ocean Energy might not be counting on, however, is that existing wind farms were built with specific levels of stress in mind. Having paddles sticking off the side of the turbine specifically designed for capturing the power of waves might wreak havoc on safety models, especially if these devices aren't able to get out of the way during severe weather.

Newly-built wind farms, of course, can take these devices into account, but we'll have to see what the engineers think about retrofitting existing turbines. Even if retrofitting isn't an option, that shouldn't hold this technology back too much, since around 1,000 offshore wind turbines are scheduled to be built between 2011 and 2015 in the UK alone.

Via TreeHugger

Comments (19)

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written by L Weber, February 17, 2009

Brilliant. If this is not too expensive, then this could significantly lower the cost for offshore wind, bringing it on par with onshore wind generation.

In some areas you could probably have multi-source offshore power plants, with underwater turbines powered by ocean currents, then these wave treaders, and then the wind turbines capturing the wind.

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love it
written by Alex, February 17, 2009

I love to see ideas like this come up. Totally common sense and economically efficient. This kind of thinking is how alternative energy is going to make its big break.

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could work
written by Jay Tee, February 17, 2009

If the towers themselves are not used to anchor a wave generator, then they may still serve as pre-existing electrical connections for a nearby wave generators. And, where the whiners have been defeated and wind turbines allowed, this may create a variance to allow the wave generators.

One minor problem is that these 2 forms of energy do not compliment each other very well. When there is lots of wind, there are lots of waves. Not much to fill in the slack times. I would like to see these harvesters of occasional energy produce a liquid hydrocarbon fuel (which is technologically possible and carbon neutral)

Generally though, turbine towers and wave generator pylons are very different structures.

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written by MD, February 17, 2009

Jay Tee - people are already doing the hydrogen from the turbine thing...

This is one of many off shoots, a turbine tower that stores hydrogen.

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy03osti/34656.pdf

&


"This electricity would be used to electrolyse water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The hydrogen would then be liquefied, or stored under pressure. When needed it would be regenerated as electricity to be supplied to the national grid on demand."

http://business.scotsman.com/alternativeenergysources/Hydrogen-plan-will-fill-in.4810948.jp

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smart
written by Cici, February 17, 2009

I cant wait to see it starts.
It'll help save the world

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Duh
written by Eric, February 17, 2009

This is an obvious utilization of resources... If we're going to go to the trouble of anchoring a wind turbine and laying an electrical line out to it anyway... we need to milk it for all it's worth. Heck, put a solar panel on top of the floating portion of the wave device! We need to use a wide array of diverse energy solutions in tandem to make alternative energy work.

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Cable Size
written by David Smith, February 17, 2009

It seems like a 50% increase would be large enough to elicit different cable and equipment sizing. But this is really cool if that's not a problem, or for future installations.

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Skeptic
written by Herno, February 18, 2009

About the issue of direction of the waves, it could be a circle, like a donut floating and balancing in any direction. and maybe you don´t even need to have it bolted, just let it move up and down as pleases and you´ll have no problems with tide altitudes.

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jetties
written by xxx, February 19, 2009

how many sea jetties could they be fitted to? many jetties have power cables for lights.

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Build A Wind Generator, and wave generat
written by Build A Wind Generator, February 19, 2009

This is a very creative idea, that should see a lot of attention. The centralized model of power production works well, but for rural areas you can use the family model

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Tidal. Wave and Wind, Offshore Nimby
written by Uncle B, February 24, 2009

Some smart Asian engineering student is going to see this article, because he/she is on the net, learning, instead of stoned on beer, pot, cocaine and busy having illicit and unnaturally driven sex (by advertising) in an expensive sports car, or pissing time away at a sports event; redesign, from the bottom up, a new energy concept and come up with a "Power Island" for offshore U.S.A. In the right location, and designed specifically for that venue, this may be one good power-source more towards getting off of fossil fuels .

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written by Free PS3, March 06, 2009

Great read here I love it!

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Wave Energy, Yea!
written by PistrisCA, April 06, 2009

Unlike solar and wind energy, wave energy is the only constant source, the direction of the wave doesn't matter, and maintainence is on par or easier than wind turbines. In a report I did on wave energy I did for a college class I found out that the devices measure the strength of the wave within the first few nano-seconds and are able to set an apropriate resistance level to generate the most energy per wave as possible. The system can also shut down during extreme wave conditions.

Two concerns I have are the stability of existing structures and the capicity of existing cables. Taking those things into account, future projects shouldn't have any problem making the adjustments.

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written by wind generator plans, June 09, 2009

Awesome technology this is...
I agree that a more sustainable model is every household having his own wind generator, which creates a much more spread out grid.

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jordan shoes
written by jordan shoes, June 19, 2009

Hey everyone...you'll never guess what I found this morning.

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written by supra shoes, August 22, 2009

You’re website has very good infos. I learned very a lot from reading these.

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written by rapidshare downloads, October 18, 2009

Awesome technology this is...

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written by infants, November 09, 2009

I cant wait to see it starts.
It'll help save theInfant world

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written by queue management system, November 17, 2009

Heck, put a solar panel on top of the floating portion of the wave device! We need to use a wide array of diverse energy solutions in tandem to make alternative energy work

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