Everybody knows what a wind turbine looks like. The same goes for solar panels. But no such ubiquitous standards of design hold sway in the emerging field of wave energy, where practically anything goes. In the latest development, the Danish startup Wavepiston is forging ahead with a design that undulates with the motion of waves like a deconstructed sea serpent.Wavepiston demonstrated its eponymous Wavepiston device in the North Sea back in 2019.
As for how it works, that’s simple — or not, as the case may be. Wavepiston provides a detailed explanation of wave dynamics on their website. They also offer a short version:When waves roll along the Energy collectors, plates are moved back and forth.The pipe leads the pressurised water to a turbine and/or a reverse osmosis system in a dry and easily accessible location for energy conversion and/or desalination.
As for what that means in terms of competition from wind, solar, and other renewable resources, that’s a good question. Energy analysts routinely use a calculation called theWave energy has a lot of catching up to do in terms of LCOE. Like its cousin tidal energy, wave energy is. Even as technology obstacles are falling, these new marine activities need to develop economies of scale and scope in order to compete with more established forms of renewable energy.