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Wind
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| Questions about Wave energy |
What is wave energy?
How does it work?
How much electricity is currently produced by wave power?
What are the future prospects of this technology?
Could wave power developments affect water sports?
Would it cause problems for shipping?
| Answers about Wave energy |
What is wave energy?
The energy in ocean waves can potentially provide an unlimited source of renewable power. Ocean waves are caused by the interaction of wind with the surface of the sea. Wave energy can be extracted and converted into electricity by wave power machines, either on the shoreline or in deeper offshore waters.
How does it work?
There are a variety of types of wave power machines. One of these is the Oscillating Water Column. This is a partially submerged, hollow structure which is installed in the ocean. It is open to the sea below the water line, which results in an enclosed a column of air on top of a water column. Waves cause the water column to rise and fall, which alternatively compresses and depresses the air column. The trapped air flows to the atmosphere via turbines, the rotation of which is used to generate electricity.
How much electricity is currently produced by wave power?
Total 2003 capacity stands at 0.5 megawatts (which will power 333 houses). Future developments such as the Pelamis Sea Snake will increase this capacity. This development is a 750kW device that will soon enter full scale testing at the European Marine Test Centre in Orkney (March 2004). The device is 120m long and it is anticipated that a number of the machines will be joined together to form a wave farm about 1km square. This would provide enough power for 20,000 homes (30MW).
What are the future prospects of this technology?
Wind-generated waves on the ocean surface of the world have a total (estimated) power of 90 million GW. Due to the direction of prevailing winds and the size of the Atlantic Ocean, the UK has wave power levels that are among the highest in the world. The wave industry, as does the tidal, sees itself having the potential of the wind industry, albeit 10 years behind.
Could wave power developments affect water sports?
Installations may reduce the amount of sea available for water sports, but this will not be a significant area. In fact, the devices could provide calm waters thereby promoting some water sports (e.g. canoeing and scuba diving).
Would it cause problems for shipping?
Visual and radar warning devices can be built into most wave power machines.
Information supplied by the DTI 'It's only natural' campaign
Notes to editors:
About 'It's only natural'
The UK Government has committed to renewable energy by signing up to international agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol, which means we are now legally bound to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012. In addition, it has also set targets that by 2010, 10 per cent of the UK's electricity will come from renewable energy and that the percentage will increase to 20 per cent by 2020.
Currently just 3.86 per cent of the UK's electricity comes from renewables, so there is a lot of work to be done. This document is part of our campaign to provide you with more information about renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass, wave and tidal power and why they are so important to the UK, to help us meet our international commitments and enable us to become a more sustainable nation.
For more information contact:
Aby Billi or Victoria Stainton, Porter Novelli
Tel: 01295 224533 or 01295 224397
Email: Firstname.lastname@cpn.co.uk
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