8.01 - Generating Electrical Power from Ocean Resources

Abstract

Ocean energy resources derived from wind, waves, tidal or marine currents can be utilized and converted to large scale sustainable electrical power. Conversion technologies are easily adaptable and can be integrated within the current utility infrastructure. However, ocean energy has many forms - tides, surface waves, ocean circulation, salinity, and thermal gradients. The focus of this chapter is dedicated to two of these, namely waves and tidal energy. The first are the result of wind-driven waves derived ultimately from solar energy and the latter represents those found in tidal or marine currents, driven by gravitational effects. This chapter also gives an analysis of the current state of art of generating electricity from wave and tidal currents (termed ocean energy). Section 8.01.1 provides an overview of ocean wave and marine current energy conversion with more emphasis on the latter; Sections 8.01.2, 8.01.3, 8.01.4, and 8.01.5 address respectively the history of wave energy, wave resource assessment, wave device development, and air turbines; and Section 8.01.6 gives a review of the economics of ocean energy as applied to wave and tidal energy conversion technologies.