Transcript Ocean Power
Ocean Power Ocean Power Tidal and Wave energy Boyd Evans Tabitha Darko Diana Crow Many Ways to Harness Ocean Power There are several ways to harness the power of the ocean. The main Goal Remains the Same for each technique, to harness the immense wave power in the world’s oceans. The technology we develop to do this may someday be used to solve the world’s energy crisis, and make human life more sustainable. Wave Energy: Duck Buoys • Rising and falling of buoys on the ocean generates mechanical energy • Mechanical energy converted into electric energy • Sends electricity to shore through underwater power cable http://www.oceanpowertechnologies.com/tech.htm# Pros and Con of Wave Buoys – Pros • Simple installation • No emissions or wastewater • A 10-megawatt station would only take up 30 acres of ocean • 1000x Higher Energy density than wind • Not disruptive • Can help wildlife by acting as artificial reef – Con • Wave buoys are very easily damaged in storms Wave Energy • Ocean waves are caused by the wind as it blows across the open expanse • of water, the gravitational pull from the sun and moon, and changes in atmospheric pressure, earthquakes and other things. • Waves created by the wind are the most common waves and the waves relevant for most wave energy technology. Wave Power (Continued) • Wave energy conversion takes advantage of the ocean waves caused primarily by the interaction of winds with the ocean surface. • They are a powerful source of energy, but are difficult to harness and convert into electricity in large quantities. Tech Obstacles • The energy needs to be converted to a 60 Hertz frequency before it can be added to the electric utility grid. • The majority of designs to capture wave power call for many small units, each having their own turbine. This results in a high voltage, but frequency substantially lower than 60 Hertz. However, it can be converted via several adaptors in the plant Wave Hub: Large Wave Farm in planning stages • Could create 1,800 jobs and over 500 million pounds • Enough electricity for 7,500 homes • Save 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide • 15% of energy for Southwest England http://www.wavehub.co.uk/ • From just ONE wave farm • Just a 4x2 km area So far most of the Ocean’s energy has gone untapped despite the fact that it has No emissions Minimal environmental disruption Huge amount of energy Unlike wind and solar power, the tides are always in motion. F.Y.I. The moon’s gravity acting on the ocean’s water and the Earth’s centrifugal force cause the tides to go in and out every day. In essence, this makes tidal power kinda like lunar power, as opposed to solar power http://www.unm.edu/~abqtom/images/Moon/Moon11-19-02b.jpg Ocean Current • Turbine acts as an underwater windmill to ocean currents www.wikipedia.org/tidalpower open source Pros /Cons for Ocean Current – Pros • Very high energy yield per turbine – Cons • Needs currents with speed of 4.5 to 5 knots or higher • Needs depth of 20-30m • Not every coast meets those requirements • Some models can be noisy Tidal Power • This technique takes advantage of the rise and fall of the tides to produce electric power in a design similar to that of a dam that you would find in an artificial lake • There Are several techniques for achieving this subcategory as well. Channelization Channelization Turbine Narrow Channel Backto the Ocean Tidal Dams Political / Economic obstacles of Ocean Power • costly to develop and put together • could interfere with mooring and anchorage lines with commercial and sport-fishing • Long term problem is making the technology work at a cost of power which a consumer is willing to pay • Some Slight Negative Environmental Impacts • can disturb or disrupt marine life • may degrade scenic ocean front views from wave energy devices located near or on the shore Make a Difference • The energy from waves alone could supply the world's electricity needs. • The total power of waves breaking on the world's coastlines is estimated at 2 to • 3 million megawatts. • Does not create pollution by releasing carbon dioxide. • Wave energy is free after cost to build plants • Maintenance / operation costs are very low Bibliography • http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/news/release.asp?releaseid =2136 • http://www.marineturbines.com/background.htm • http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/moontides/ • http://www.oceanpowertechnologies.com/tech.html • http://www.wavesenergy.com • http://www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec/MTD/Whale/ • Snedden, Robert. Energy Alternatives • Chicago, Illinois. Reed • Educational and Professional Publishing. 2002. p. 28