Wave Power. The biggest free battery on Planet Earth?
- Alan Baker
- Jan 23, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 5, 2023
Jan Skjoldhammer Podcast A Nearshore solution needing no expensive gearbox. Click here.
Over the years it has never been clearly obvious to me why the seemingly relentless power of the Seas and Oceans, some argue the Worlds largest free battery, has not been more to the forefront in creating clean green electrical energy.
Well that may be about to change.
The challenges of development, prototyping and manufacture of anything for use ``in water´ and ``in weather´´, are obviously more difficult compared to wind and solar.
The fundamentally challenge here is turning of rising and falling waves occilatory energy starting at around (only) half a meter per second (1 mph , 1.6kph), and turning this energy into something that will spin an axel at 1000 RPM´s (the generator). This typically is done by relatively complex and expensive systems and gearboxes which are also maintenance ``heavy´´, physically heavy, expensive and relatively low efficiencies. It also has to be targeting close to 5 cents per kwh and or be available when other renewables are not available.
So even if you consider tidal energies relatively high horizontal flow available to convert to our desired 1000 rpm which is typically at 2 to 4 meters per second (6 to 12 kph) the present cost per kilowatt hour is still around 40 to 60 cents per kilowatt hour, where solar/wind is around 5 cents. So the market is clearly going to err towards 5 c not 40c.
So whats changed? This is the podcast that brought things into focus for me and was given by Jan Skjoldhammer the boss and inspiration for the new approach. One that is relatively mechanically simple and relatively inexpensive and has a projected life of 40 years. This brings the kilowatt hour price to a competitive price point. The podcast here in this link. (It works on all devices)
Whether you buy into the credibility of this system or not this pod cast gives a great technological and market overview, and in his case his road map to achieve it.
Location. The near to shore coastline of west coast are where the earths weather conspire to create the best waves. Also being near shore compared to turbines means shorter boat travel times and a shorter electrical connection cable.
Energy per square meter. The price of water area real estate is increasing becoming an important consideration. This system of Jans produces approximately twice the energy than the a wind turbine footprint
Its an alternate to Static / battery storage. We all know the doubters well rehearsed arguments of what happens when the sun isn´t shining and wind isn´t blowing . Well this is where wave hits a sweet spot in that waves can fill the gap. Waves are normally there after the wind has stopped. Battery storage is presently around 20cents per kilowatt hour so in very simple terms becomes a financially attractive alternate to batteries. I think there will be a squeeze on availability of battery raw materials and processing. China has a strangle hold on their global supply at the moment, so this may be another catalyst to move this technology forward - as an alternate to Batteries.
Click here for another great video (15 minute ) from CNBC Showing the many different technology approaches to capturing the power of waves and homes in the PACWAVE project off the west coast of the USA.
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