There is such a thing, and it is at its peak when engineers face a
challenge unfettered by politics or marketing. Money is frequently a
problem, and sometimes part of the challenge.
Ocean power is an engineer’s dream, where seemingly all things are possible.
At the semi-annual International Conference on Ocean Energy, held here this year, unfettered, engineering is the driver. One participant told me, “This is a sandbox for engineers to play in.”
Since the beginning of time man has dreamed of the challenge of harnessing the power of the oceans, with their currents, tides and waves. It was talked about seriously during the energy crisis of the 1970s, and then largely forgotten.
In the early years of the alternative energy industry, engineers enthused about the tidal rise of Canada’s Bay of Fundy and France’s Bay of Biscay as sources of power. Ocean power is more energy dense than wind power. But when it was apparent that no single machine could be developed to generate ocean power, enthusiasm waned. Wind turbines can be standardized, but currents, tides and waves are a site-specific energy source.
As a result wind, solar, geothermal and biomass got the alternative energy development attention and the bulk of the funding. Ocean energy stayed in the speeches, a gleam in the eye of a small group of developers scattered around seafront nations.
Now there is an ocean energy movement. In more than 20 countries, private companies are developing first-generation water turbines.
Read more: http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Ocean-Power-the-Ignored-Alternative.html
Ocean power is an engineer’s dream, where seemingly all things are possible.
At the semi-annual International Conference on Ocean Energy, held here this year, unfettered, engineering is the driver. One participant told me, “This is a sandbox for engineers to play in.”
Since the beginning of time man has dreamed of the challenge of harnessing the power of the oceans, with their currents, tides and waves. It was talked about seriously during the energy crisis of the 1970s, and then largely forgotten.
In the early years of the alternative energy industry, engineers enthused about the tidal rise of Canada’s Bay of Fundy and France’s Bay of Biscay as sources of power. Ocean power is more energy dense than wind power. But when it was apparent that no single machine could be developed to generate ocean power, enthusiasm waned. Wind turbines can be standardized, but currents, tides and waves are a site-specific energy source.
As a result wind, solar, geothermal and biomass got the alternative energy development attention and the bulk of the funding. Ocean energy stayed in the speeches, a gleam in the eye of a small group of developers scattered around seafront nations.
Now there is an ocean energy movement. In more than 20 countries, private companies are developing first-generation water turbines.
Read more: http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Ocean-Power-the-Ignored-Alternative.html
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