Feasibility of ocean wave electrical power generation

[Cliff_J]

Rather than clutter the FEG thread, here's different idea along the same lines of renewable electrical power generation. Featured on "Discoveries This Week" on Discovery channel, the reps from this firm claim they can generate the power needs of CA from a 100 sq mile installation offshore, and that it scales up from there.

http://www.oceanpowertechnologies.com/technology/

I think its neat that they are able to utilize current tech for mooring/anchoring, but would have to wonder if it could be scaled up at each 'buoy' to avoid having to place millions at sea.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Obviously one real concern here is corrosion.

Whewwww, FEGs have me all designed out at the moment.

 

[Astronuc]

There are special structural materials like marine steels and some clad steels thought could be used. Plus there are coatings designed for the marine (oxygenated saline) environment.

One issue would be the effect on local currents. Presumably that's been addressed already.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

From the link:

How deep is the water in which the system is installed?

The buoy is designed to be deployed in approximately 100 feet (30 meters) of water.

What is the power limit for this design, that is, given the efficiency and the number of miles of accessable coastline. I wonder what factors limit use at other depths.

 

[Cliff_J]

The website claims that environmental assessments are done before deployment, I guess an assumption could be made that affects on current and so on are going to be encompassed by that assessment.

I thought the 100ft was a bit of a limitation too. It would seem to leave a lot of ocean left untapped, and large part of the ocean not likely used by mankind or nature (surface waters anyways).