What is wave energy

Indeed, since the waves are a consequence of the friction of the air on the surface of the sea, although this is very irregular, its use to obtain energy is well worth it, no doubt.

Precisely for this reason, different machines have been created, such as the installation of turbines at the bottom of the sea attached to buoys, on the other hand the most common.

The buoys transmit the movement of the waves to the turbines, generating electricity . Basically, the waves enter an air chamber, raising the water level by compressing the air inside that, finally, will be expelled through an upper opening, driving a turbine or, what is the same, electrical energy is produced.

Another system, known as robotic “sea snakes” -Anaconda (a Checkmate sea energy project) or Pelamis- have been named after their shape. It consists of the installation of floating machines that obtain energy from the movement of their different articulated parts. advantages of wave energy disadvantages

Although there are facilities that work successfully, some are in the experimental phase and, both these and the commercial ones, are still scarce. As with other types of energy from the sea (osmotic power, tidal wave, current or tidal energy), wave energy is still under study and improvement. Above all, taking into account the enormous source of clean and renewable energy that the sea can offer us, an equally inexhaustible resource.

The tidal energy is a type of marine energy that is often confused with wave energy. To distinguish them, it is important to be clear about their essential differences. If, on the one hand, wave energy refers exclusively to the energy use from the movement of waves , on the other hand, tidal energy takes advantage of the movement of the tides , that is, the rise and fall of the water that produces the gravitation of the sun and the moon.

Therefore, it is an energy use of different marine energies, which requires different technologies. Although tides and waves are closely linked, so are others such as currents, whose use gives rise to another type of energy from the sea. disadvantages of wave energy advantages and disadvantages 

If the wave energy is irregular, the tidal energy also has its peculiarities, and it is only worth installing a tidal power station where the high and low seas have a sufficient difference, more than five meters high. Otherwise, it will not be profitable.

On the other hand, a project for a tidal power station can be carried out in a cove, river, estuary or bay, for example, and is based on the storage of water within a reservoir, which implies building a dike with gates. The objective will be to allow the entry of water to power the turbines. advantages and disadvantages of wave energy

The Carnegie Wave Energy project in Perth, Western Australia , has just entered its commercial phase, after a decade of work. Finally, with a multi-million dollar investment, it will harness the power of the waves on Perth’s turbulent coastline, using buoy-based technology. types of wave energy

With its inauguration, the world’s first commercial wave power plant of its kind opens . It is also the first time that electricity has been generated from waves in the country. types of wave energy

The plant passed the tests carried out in 2014 and currently operates with five wave power generation units. The plant will supply electricity to the Australian Department of Defense and to Australia’s largest naval base, HMAS Stirling, located on Garden Island.