Researchers in Australia and China have developed a prototype technology that they believe can double the power harvested from ocean waves. In laboratory tests they report that they have been successful at increasing the power drawn from the ocean with a design that is simpler and less cost-intensive to deploy. If successful in a full-scale model test, the researchers believe that their technology could be the key to the commercialization of power generation from ocean waves.
“Our prototype technology overcomes some of the key challenges that have been holding back the wave energy industry from large-scale development,” said lead researcher Professor Xu Wang at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. “With further development, we hope this technology could be the foundation for a thriving new renewable energy industry delivering massive environmental and economic benefits.
According to Professor Wang and his collaborators from Beihang University in China, the challenges of developing technologies that can be efficient extracting the natural power and withstanding the harsh environment have “kept wave energy stuck at the experimental stage.” Read on.
