THE DIFFICULTY OF OCEAN ENERGY

Making Waves: Why Getting Power from the Ocean Is So Tough
Brian Baskin, June 9, 2009 (Wall Street Journal)

"…[W]hy are ocean energy projects still waiting for the tide to come in?…In theory, generating power from the ocean’s waves seems like an easy sell. It’s a potentially massive, clean, domestic, constant source of energy that doesn’t depend on the vagaries of the weather or unsightly turbines. State governments—and soon, the federal government—are encouraging and mandating greater use of clean energy…Yet the same utilities and investors that tinkered with wind and solar farms for decades aren’t showing the same patience for waves…

"Wave power faces four primary obstacles. It’s very immature technology—there are about 80 different ways to snatch electricity from the ocean, and not all of them will be winners."

Ocean energy is still small projects being perfected. (click to enlarge)

"Ocean energy is also a lot more expensive than other energy sources, even other alternative energy sources such as wind power or solar power. Ocean energy backers say they could sell electricity at a competitive rate to wind or solar in 10 years…

"Ocean energy is also a lot smaller. A typical coal plant is about 600 megawatts; a typical wind farm can be as much as 200 megawatts. Most ocean energy projects, by contrast, tops out at about 2 megawatts—or about the size of a single wind turbine."

This one was towed ashore for repairs last fall. (click to enlarge)

"Ocean power also has to jump through more regulatory hoops–confusing, often conflicting regulations govern anything more than a couple test buoys. Until April, two federal agencies separately claimed they could grant permits for wave power stations…They’ve since announced a truce, but it’s too early to say how they’ll work together.

"Even some early poster children for ocean power are throwing in the towel. Finavera Renewables scrapped its planned West Coast projects in February…A few wave power projects are still in the works, chasing what backers believe could still be the next big thing in clean energy. Ocean Power Technologies is planning to install buoys off the coast of Oregon, and…hopes to develop more…Ocean Power Technologies is [also] deploying buoys off Spain, where… the government and utilities are more firmly behind the technology…"