Technology Prospects of Wave Power Systems
Technology Prospects of Wave Power Systems
Authors
Authors
Date
2015-01-22
Datos de publicación:
Electronic Journal of Energy & Environment, Vol. 2, Nº 1, 47-69, 2014
Keywords
Energía mareomotriz - Energía - Energía renovable - Energías alternativas
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Abstract
In this work, a comparative overview of wave
power technologies is carried out. Although wave energy
resource is theoretically enormous, it is only located in
certain areas of the globe where sufficiently high wave
power potential exists. These areas are the western seaboard
of Europe, the northern coast of the UK and the pacific
coastlines of North and South America, Southern Africa,
Australia and New Zealand. In addition, the highest potential
exists in deep ocean waters, many kilometers offshore.
Therefore, only a fraction of the wave energy resource can
be harnessed by current wave energy technologies. Currently,
wave power technologies are neither mature nor have
become widely commercialized. Although these technologies
can cover onshore, near-shore and offshore applications,
the vast majority of wave energy devices developed today
from these technologies is still in prototype demonstration
stage. It is, therefore, too early to predict which of these
technologies will become the most prevalent one for future
commercialization. Currently the major obstacles towards
wave energy commercialization are the high capital costs
of wave energy devices (translated into high electricity unit
costs for power generation) and the adverse working weather
conditions that these devices have to endure, requiring additional safety features which results in escalation of the
capital costs. With the future commercialisation of the wave
power systems the operating costs are expected to reduce
leading towards the competitiveness of this technology.