Energy from the motion of the ocean

[jpak]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/12/14/magazines/fsb/nextlittlething_wave_power.fsb/?postversion=2006121509

(FSB Magazine) -- If you wanted to choose the perfect location for capturing the ocean's energy, you couldn't do much better than the Oregon coast. Waves arrive there with immense power, having traveled across thousands of miles of open water with few barrier islands, reefs or other obstructions to slow them down.

Some are so large that they can be tracked by Satellite days before they arrive. Starting in 2007, those massive, ceaseless waves will help light homes and businesses along the West Coast, thanks to an entrepreneur named George Taylor.

<snip>

The company, founded by Taylor and a business partner, Joseph Burns (who died in 2001), began operations in 1994 and now employs 35, with about $5.4 million in annual sales for 2005. But if the project in Reedsport, on Oregon's central coast, pays off, that revenue number could grow substantially. "The market is huge, and the world will spend $200 billion on new generation equipment over the coming decades," Taylor says. "In 20 years China alone will be consuming all the energy that the entire world uses now."

Buttressing Taylor's optimism, researchers at Oregon State University say that only 0.2 percent of the ocean's untapped wave energy could power the entire world. This figure may seem incredible, but water is a very dense medium, about 1,000 times thicker than air, and capable of transmitting immense energy when in motion.

<more>

[highplainsdem]

1. Adding the 5th recommendation - thanks for the link!

[OneBlueSky]

2. might as well use the ocean to generate energy . . . because it won't be long . . .

before it will no longer be a source of food, given that we've made it the world's largest cesspool . . .

[Control-Z]

3. You know, OneBlueSky,

I get discouraged by the low response rate often seen here to environmental issues. It should be number one, front and center, every single day, as far as I'm concerned. But I believe everyone is worried and looking for a little hope.

So maybe if people like you didn't come along and crush that hope at every turn, folks might be a tad more interested in discussion. Just sayin'.

[The2ndWheel]

5. Hope won't get much done

We actually have to stop doing the things we've been doing. Not hope. Maybe once the hope is crushed, something might change. However, when every generation is supposed to have it "better" than the last, hope will be staying around for the time being.

[OneBlueSky]

10. reality bites, don't it? . . . you are obviously unfamiliar with . . .

my extensive history of posting on environmental issues, and their relationship to unfettered corporate capitalism and the unregulated actions of multinational corporations . . . this admittedly rather snide remark merely reflects recent news articles about the ocean . . . a few representative examples . . .

Global Warming is Reducing Ocean Life, Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide, Say Scientists
http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=1528

Global warming to have major impact on ocean food web
http://www.terradaily.com/2006/061206180315.wiyfmoee.html

Warmed-up oceans reduce key food link
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061206/ap_on_sc/warming_marine_life&printer=1

Seagrass Ecosystems at a "Global Crisis"
http://www.umces.edu/grassecosystems.htm

Pacific wildlife 'threatened by sea of plastic'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1940366,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12

Marine Scientists Report Massive Dead Zones
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1006-04.htm

so I certainly agree that environmental issues should be THE primary concern of everyone -- and have, in fact, felt that way since at least 1969, when I worked with Pete Seeger on the CLEARWATER project . . . he's the one who opened my eyes, and they've been wide open ever since . . . and I've been posting about environmental stuff since joining DU about five years ago . . .

the ONLY way we're going to even begin to reverse the current devastation is to reclaim citizen authority over corporations, and to strictly regulate their activities -- especially their externalizing of environmental costs . . . that's going to have to be a grassroots initiative, because right now corporate money is the engine that drives politics AND determines what issues are reported in the media, and how . . . whether Congress is Democratic or Republican, meaningful action to control corporate activities ain't gonna happen without immense pressure from the American public -- and even that probably won't be enough . . .

fyi, you can find more information on reclaiming citizen authority over corporations at . . .

http://www.reclaimdemocracy.org

[On the Road]

4. Any Word on How the Cost per Kilowatt-Hour

compares with other sources of energy? I would imagine there would be concerns about underwater high-voltage facilites, but other than that it seems like an enormous untapped source. I'm even sure that high-energy ocean waves are necessary -- ordinary tides carry carry quite a bit of energy.

Underwater construction and maintenance are expensive, but no more than building a dam.

[jpak]

6. Current estimates range from $0.02 - 0.15 per kWh with most under $0.10 per kWh

Which makes it competitive with fossil, nuclear and wind.

The DOE estimates ~65 MW potential per mile of coastline at favorable sites...

[pberq]

7. Kick & Nominated

[Seabiscuit]

8. The title to the OP reminded me of the song:

"It's not the meat, it's the motion".

[Morgana LaFey]

9. Very exciting

and I can personally attest to the immense power of those waves.

This is nearly as good as solar power in the "renewable" category.

[Phillycat]

11. Oh, that's crazy cool.

And very hopeful.

[diane in sf]

12. More wave and tide links

This is very cool, since most of the world's population lives near the oceans!
Some more links:

http://freeenergynews.com/Directory/Wave/index.html and

http://thefraserdomain.typepad.com/energy/ocean_power/index.html

[jazzjunkysue]

13. Could it really be that simple? I hope it works. n/t.

[jpak]

14. There are several competing designs for wave power plants - Portugal is building one

this year based on a Scottish design...

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Portugal_Turns_To_Wind__Waves_And_Sun_To_Reduce_Oil_Dependence.html

It looks more like a Sea Dragon than a navigation buoy.

It should be on-line soon...