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A project to build the country's first wave power station off the coast of Oregon is finally moving forward. Wave power company Ocean Power Technologies just signed a contract with Oregon Iron Works to start building 10 buoys, with the first one to be deployed a year from now off the coast of Reedsport.
This project will test the capabilities of the buoys in the area before the company goes forward with a 200-buoy project nearby. Within two years all ten buoys should be deployed and generating power for PNGC Power, the utility that is purchasing all that clean energy. The system will have a capacity of about 1.5 MW and OPT expects to sell the power for about 15 cents/kWh.
Here's hoping OPT has better luck than its predecessors. Finavera, another wave power company, had a 40-ton buoy of theirs sink off the coast of Oregon two years ago after only two months at sea.
The projects success could mean great things for the future of wave power in America. Studies have shown that wave power, and wave power alone, could power the world twice over, so needless to say, it's something we want to tap into.
via Green Inc.
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written by brastein, December 05, 2009
@Anchovie
Every method of energy production has its consequences. The question is, will it have as much of a negative impact as coal and other conventional energy sources currently do? I predict not.
Every method of energy production has its consequences. The question is, will it have as much of a negative impact as coal and other conventional energy sources currently do? I predict not.
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written by Paul T, December 05, 2009
Anchovie, we are already making changes to our coasts with sea front developments, port construction, and sea defence construction. You are right that eventually large scale wave power exploitation may make an impact, but I´m with brastein; given the scale of present wave energy exploitation and the comments he and I have made are the concerns you raise significant at the moment?
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written by Recycled Bottle, December 05, 2009
Already doing damage is a flawed argument. A fallacy. Still, I agree that this maybe a greener, certainly greener solution.
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written by VeruTEK Green Technologies, December 07, 2009
The problem is that the ocean is extremely powerful. The fact that it can drift or sink during fierce storms or hurricanes is problematic.
However on the flip-side this can truly be a remarkable source of energy if implemented correctly.
However on the flip-side this can truly be a remarkable source of energy if implemented correctly.
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written by Mary, December 07, 2009
@Anchovie - The amazing thing about waves is the tremendous amount of energy available. "Large scale removal" (or even medium scale) is nowhere close to a reality. Consider estimates of 2 TW of worldwide potential from deepwater and current U.S. electricity demand of 0.8 TW.
As a reminder to the author, Finavera did an amazing job of getting a test buoy out there, it is unfortunate that they lost it the day before they were going to pull it in. (No one expected it to survive the Oregon winter.)
I wish them and OPT the best of luck though, and look forward to a renewable energy system more reliable than wind!
As a reminder to the author, Finavera did an amazing job of getting a test buoy out there, it is unfortunate that they lost it the day before they were going to pull it in. (No one expected it to survive the Oregon winter.)
I wish them and OPT the best of luck though, and look forward to a renewable energy system more reliable than wind!
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written by bill, December 10, 2009
The west coast of the US is Geothermal heaven. Almost no carbon footprint and no envirormetal problems. Mt St.Helens alone could power from Seattle to nortern Califonia. It's a no brainer, just not enough money in it for the powers that be. The tech exists to harness the power and they could even take down the dams on the Columbia River.
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written by bill, December 10, 2009
Geothermal power would solve the energy crisis and have power to spare.
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written by Rayray, December 10, 2009
Wind enegy is solar energy and waves are caused by wind. It seems the only way to harness this solar stuff is put something in space and have it beamed down to land 24/7.
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written by Adrian Akau, December 10, 2009
Ten bobbing buoys are on their way,
Two years from now to dance and play,
The people of Reedsport will be blest,
In this new energy collecting test.
Buoys will help the fish to hide,
Giving to them a place to reside,
Attracting them in like a mother hen,
Until they are ready for themselves to fend.
Buoys will many wave forces absorb,
Send electricity to people ashore,
Those who need clean power and yearn,
For energy without any coal to burn.
Now is the time to work with the sea,
Waves are God's gifts, completely free,
Waiting to be tamed like a wild, white-eyed horse,
To serve mankind as an energy source.
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written by terry hallinan, December 11, 2009
No way power buoys are going to drain the oceans of their energy anymore than surfing does.
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written by startouched, December 18, 2009
I have to agree with Anchovie. Any energy removed from the sea will have a consequence. Also, the Northwest waters are going to become problematic within the next 3 years due to the melting ice in the Northern Polar regions. If this project has a future, I will be surprised. The argument that we are already developing the coasts has the sound, of "well, it's already happening, this can't be much worse". The answer to clean energy is a sociological element that cannot be balanced without the reduction of humans on the planet. Our planet cannot be balanced by pulling more resources from those that we have left. The Wave Energy sounds great, but we don't know what effect it will have on our oceans and the creatures that are supporting them. Kill the creatures and we upset the balance of the Oceans as we have already done to the land.
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written by Matt, August 18, 2011
Why is it that people say "the only way is to reduce the number of human on the planet". Never sign up to be reduced. Waiting for a large die off is not going to solve our problems.
Yes building large structures along the shore, have a large impact. But structures out from shore much less so.
As for the energy extracted from waves, the percent of the energy extracted from the waves is very small.
Yes building large structures along the shore, have a large impact. But structures out from shore much less so.
As for the energy extracted from waves, the percent of the energy extracted from the waves is very small.
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Expect to see plant communities threatened, littoral zone creatures threatened with local extinctions.