Kyoko Abe 16 March 2010

Outlines Concept Technology Market Status Potentials Projection

Concept – What is wave energy? Waves are formed by the wind. The stronger and longer distance of wind generates larger waves and energy. Wave energy is a concentrated form of solar energy. The greatest amount of energy is available in deeper well- exposed waters offshore. The capacity to harness the incident energy is larger than that of wind or solar systems. (refer Fig.1) Fig.1

Technologies Devices take energy out of the motion of the water near surface and convert the action into movements that power generators to produce electricity. Shoreline devices Fixed or embedded in the shoreline. Advantages Easier maintenance and/or installation. Disadvantage Higher construction costs Inaccessible in bad weather. Off Shore Devices Exploit the powerful wave regimes in deep water (> 40 m). Advantages Greater cost- effectiveness. Disadvantages Requires flexible moorings and electrical transmission cables. Near Shore Devices Devices for moderate water depths (< 20 m). Provision for inclusion of wind turbine. Aim to maximise the amount of energy produced from near shore area.

Technologies Shoreline devices Oscillating water column (OWC) The TAPCHAN The Pendulor Off Shore Devices The McCabe Wave Pump The OPT WEC The Pelamis The Archimedes Wave Swing Near Shore Devices OSPREY 2 MW OWC OWC OPT Pelamis Near shore OWC

Market Status The primary market for wave energy is electricity generation. There are opportunities to produce mechanical energy for the desalination of, or mineral extraction from, sea water. While still new technologies with high cost, significant improvements are predicted generating costs of devices. (5p/kWh or less at 8% discount rate) Economically competitive in the market of isolated communities that are not connected to the grid.

Market Status- the U.K. The U.K. is situated at the end of long stormy fetch of the Atlantic, where characterised by high wave energy. Work on wave energy within the U.K. began in the early 1970s. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has supported R&D on smaller devices which are more economic. Areas Studied for UK for wave energy resource assessment

Potentials The wave energy devices are less environmentally degrading than others.  Limit potential for chemical pollution  Little visual impact  Low noise generation  Less influence the coastal environment  Less CO2 emission than others

Projection- Technologies Multiple concepts such as wind-wave, wind-tidal, or wave-tidal system may emerge as ocean energy exploration.

Projection- in the U.K. UK targets of 20% of electricity from renewable energy sources by A large share of the European deployment of marine energy devices by 2020 could occur in the UK. Beyond 2020 the industry would turn to long-term off shore operation in the UK. Further improvement of generating costs is expected as the same way as wind turbines % in total renewable energy year % of wave energy providing energy in total renewable energy