Ocean Power; Power for the Planet

January 30, 2005 – Vol.9 No.45

OCEAN POWER; POWER FOR THE PLANET.

Constantly moving, often churning, the oceans cover two-thirds of the planet. The Pacific alone covers 40 percent.

The oceans often control the weather. More than half of the world’s population chooses to live less than 100 miles from a body of salt water. The ocean’s, too, provide daily sustenance for billions.

Though the oceans are now stressed - stressed in terms of providing food - they could be providing an endless source of energy for all. Probably without stress.

Britain, surrounded by moving water, would like to become the world’s ocean energy technology center. Britannia once ruled the waves. They’d like to do so again.

The British government has announced it will distribute GBP 42 million ($79 million) for the support of ocean wave and tidal energy technologies. Capital grants and price supports for ocean generated power are to be offered.

Skeptics might say ocean energy is too difficult. The oceans are rough, harsh, and dangerous. Salt water is extraordinarily corrosive.

But man has been plying the oceans successfully for centuries and been tapping oil and natural gas on the ocean bottom for decades. We know how to build things that survive the cruelty of the oceans.

The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) is now the primary trade association for ocean energy technology developers. Visit them at http://www.bwea.org/ Ocean energy companies and the technologies they cover include: Wavegen (LIMPET) http://www.wavegen.com/ , Ocean Power Delivery (Pelamis) http://www.oceanpd.com/ , Marine Current Turbines (The Seaflow Project) http://www.marineturbines.com/ , The Engineering Business (Stingray and the EB Frond) (EB) http://www.engb.com/ , SMD Hydrovision (TidEL) http://www.smdhydrovision.com/products EcoFys (The Wave Rotor) http://www.ecofys.nl/nl/expertisegebieden/product_systeemontwikkeling/waverotor.htm