Adele Peters of Fast Company writes on a startup that is generating energy from waves.
- Eco Wave harnesses energy from waves with floating devices that are attached to existing structures on land like piers, breakwaters, and jetties.
- The devices go up and down with waves, compressing and decompressing hydraulic cylinders to rotate a motor and generator. An inverter then transfer this power to the grid.
- The company has already launched a successful pilot project and Israel and hopes to expand operations in the U.S.
“Because of the density of wave energy, the technology has a relatively small footprint, generating around 50 times more power than solar panels would in the same area. On a breakwater that’s a kilometer long (six-tenths of a mile), for example, it’s possible to produce between three and five megawatts of electricity at any given time, enough to power between 3,000 and 5,000 households. The pilot in L.A. will be around 85 feet long, enough to generate 100 kilowatts. ‘Most breakwaters are much larger,’ says Braverman. The Port of L.A.’s extra-long breakwater could potentially generate power for as many as 60,000 households.”
Read the full article here.
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