Wave Energy

Wave energy is Geek-sational! It uses the natural movement of the oceans like tidal energy only better. Waves are created by wind blowing over the surface of the ocean, and this alternative technology captures that energy as well as from pressure fluctuations below the surface.

Devices are installed at or near the water's surface, depending on the type of waves they are trying to interact with. There are many types of devices currently in development: Attenuators, Offshore Floating Platforms, Terminators, Oscillating Water Columns, Point Absorbers, and Overtopping Devices. The Geek happily provides entire pages to each of these cool things!

What makes this so great? All the energy from ocean waves on the United States coastlines per year is almost as much as all of the electricity produced currently by coal. Now imagine the amount throughout the entire ocean, not just the coastlines. There is no fuel used, thus no waste like fossil fuels and nuclear; it's inexpensive to maintain and operate, it's less visible than off shore wind farms, and it interferes less with marine life than tidal barrages. As of now, it's not easy to harness this and convert it into electricity in large amounts. Thus, wave power stations presently are few, but the potential for this alternative is as enormous as the ocean itself.

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