North Bay’s overlooked renewable energy source: Ocean waves

Opinion

Napa-based architect Chris D. Craiker, AIA, NCARB, has been designing affordable and sustainable housing for almost 50 years. Reach him at 707-224-5060 or chris@craiker.com. Read his previous columns.

As a young Southern California surfer, all I knew about ocean waves was Beach Boys, surf boards and Woodies.

And yet, the mammoth amount of kinetic energy that exists within 50 miles of 50% of the world’s population presents almost unlimited renewable energy opportunities to help reduce our dependence on carbon products.

The North Bay Pacific Ocean counties could be generating unlimited energy if they capture the ocean’s energy on their shores.

With roughly 70% of the earth covered with oceans, their powerful currents below and on the surface have literally moved continents for ions, but capturing that energy is not easy. Strong currents can literally destroy buildings and the strongest mechanical equipment.

On top of that, salt water corrodes, sea creatures and barnacles cling and storms can destroy a power system in minutes.

Ocean wave energy capture, OWEC, is not new, but as renewable energy sources are expanding and the quest for neutralizing our carbon footprint gains momentum, OWEC becomes a new focus. The objective is to generate electricity to energize our power grids.

Similar to hydropower plants creating power using stored water rushing over a dam to propel turbines, OWEC would harness the constant wave energy on the surface or at the ocean floor, acting in both directions.

Oscillating water columns: A cylinder shaft collects wave driven air through the shaft like a bellows to make electricity.

Wave surge devices: A tapered channel funnels waves into an elevated reservoir where water flows back to the ocean through a conventional hydro turbine.

Floating devices: Underwater turbines attached to a buoy system that spin from the tidal action and generate electricity connected back to the grid.

Ocean Floor Pressure differentiation: One of the most promising ventures is ocean floor mounted devices that exploit the difference in pressure of ocean currents so as to not receive the ocean surface wave violence.

As with all renewable energy resources, there are pros and cons.

Pros

1. A continuously renewable and sustainable source of energy, ocean tides are the result of sunlight, the rotation of the earth, combined with gravity.

2. Environmentally friendly with no energy or carbon emissions, while generating continuous electricity directly into the power grid.

3. Abundant, more reliable and consistent than other renewable energy sources. Ocean currents move 24/7 around the world.

4. Since water is more dense than air, more energy can be produced to generate electricity even at low tides.

5. Less visual impact: Energy stations or plants could be constructed offshore and, unlike oil platforms, would have little or no visual impact with no environmental impacts from explosions or leaks.

Cons

1. The cost for initial set up can be steep, not like the average backyard solar panel. More large-scale research and investigation is required.

2. Limited locations. Many of the best locations for plants will be in existing urban or tourist destinations. While less visible, minimizing visible facilities could be challenging.

3. While among the cleanest and least harmful to sea life, more research must be done to protect our delicate ecology and habitats is essential. Any chemical uses must be carefully studied for unanticipated consequences.

4. Challenging scalability. Creating utility companies, equipment and supply lines to provide sufficient energy will be the real challenge.

As of today, there are no commercial wave power operations. However, joint ventures between some American firms and Australia are posed to created enough power for 10,000 homes off their coastline.

While ocean tidal wave capture has the greatest potential for producing renewable energy, there is a lot more research that needs to be done. As they say, “Catch a wave, and you’re sitting on top of the world!”

Opinion

Napa-based architect Chris D. Craiker, AIA, NCARB, has been designing affordable and sustainable housing for almost 50 years. Reach him at 707-224-5060 or chris@craiker.com. Read his previous columns.

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