New Wave Power Research Rising Off Oregon Coast 158
necro81 writes "A prototype buoy has been launched off the Oregon coast to try generating electrical power from the ever-present waves. The OSU device works like a giant shake-up flashlight. It is one of several competing designs to take advantage of a potential clean energy goldmine. It will be years before substantial power is contributed to the grid, but several companies have received permits to develop test platforms. The New York Times has an article that surveys the current outlook for wave energy, which it compares to wind energy's prospects back in the 1980s. Concerns about impacts to wildlife and fishing remain to be answered."
Sounds good (Score:5, Insightful)
No energy is free (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:No energy is free (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:No energy is free (Score:3, Insightful)
It will affect mean wave height, and reduce coastal erosion...
Re:Laws of Physics (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Laws of Physics (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:Laws of Physics (Score:3, Insightful)
two birds one stone (Score:3, Insightful)
more on topic. if this would reduce wave action there are loads of locations that need very expensive sea defences and we also need to generate power. could we not combine the two by floating these generators off known locations that are been eroded? protect the location and generate power. makes it cheaper to build if you can tap into the others funds.
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Wave and Tidal... (Score:3, Insightful)
I am all for using a little bit of EVERYTHING. I think that every house built in the southern US should have a small solar panel. Even if it is just 100 Watts. The problem is that right now solar panels are in short supply. But you know if you build 10,000 homes with a small 100 watt panel then at peak production you gain a mega watt of clean power. Geo Thermal is under used and should be exploited. I am all for Nuclear plants in fact I get my power from one. Modern nuclear plants are right now the best solution for controllable clean power production. The mid western states and places like New Mexico could be producing a lot of wind power right now. I am not a huge fan of wind power since it seems the less reliable than Solar and Geothermal but I could be wrong on that.
Tidal is just too small and diverse of power source to be worth spending a huge amount of development money on IMHO. submerging turbines in salt water just make me cringe.
My post was more to try and stop all the zealots. Every time I hear that Solar, Wind, Tidal, electric cars, fuel cells, or Hydrogen is "THE SOLUTION" it just makes my head hurt.
There isn't a single solution. We need to have more options and more sources of power.
Oil will not go away. If we run out we will make it from coal. If we run out of coal we will make it from water and atmospheric CO2.
So yes use tidal where it makes sense but don't delude yourself.