Sea waves power homes for 12 months, thanks to a blowhole wave generator

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/sea-waves-power-homes-for-12-months-thanks-to-a-blowhole-wave-generator

It has succeeded where others have failed miserably.

Ameya Paleja

Created: Aug 3, 2022 12:20 PM

INNOVATION

Wave SwellWave Swell

• Wave Swell spent $12 million to build its generator and tested it extensively
• It uses an oscillating column design that works like a natural blowhole
• It has an energy conversion efficiency of 48 percent, claims the company

ABC News has reported that a technology demonstrator for wave-based power generation, installed in the Bass Strait in Australia, has been powering local homes for more than 12 months.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the annual energy potential of waves off the coast of the U.S. is 2.64 trillion kilowatt-hours, roughly 66 percent of the country’s annual power generation. Abundantly available throughout the year, sea waves can be a valuable addition to the growing list of renewable sources of energy that we are tapping into to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.