Abstract
This brochure highlights a few examples of wave energy projects developed across Ocean Energy Systems (OES) member countries.
Advances in Wave Energy
- Great progress continues to be made by several wave energy developers. Successful deployments have taken place in all corners of the world from Australia, through Asia and Europe to North America.
- Several full-scale devices are currently in the manufacturing phase or preparing for deployment.
- The sector has been showing a continuous evolution along the TRL scale and first farms are being designed.
- A number of potential breakthroughs with significant impact on costs and energy production have been developed and have been already integrated in new prototypes.
- Wave energy might remain specific by developing simultaneously a wide variety of wave energy technologies, resulting from the different ways in which energy can be absorbed from the waves, and also depending on location and water depth.
- Wave energy projects are facing a crucial stage from demonstration to its first pre-commercial arrays of a few units; extensive testing programmes are still required in order to validate performance and reliability.
- Wave energy still require strong research and innovation programmes to fasten the pathway to full maturity.
- A supportive policy framework is fundamental on accelerating progress
Markets
- Due to an impressive worldwide resource, wave energy devices are designed to be installed in large arrays to provide utility-scale power.
- The technology can be designed to meet the energy and water needs of island and coastal communities.
- Wave energy can help to meet the requirements of ocean industries that are moving further offshore, such as aquaculture, mining and oceanographic research.
- And it can be integrated into hybrid systems that might include wind, solar, and energy storage.
Check out OES' Tidal Current Energy Developments Highlights brochure here.