Are ocean waves the future of energy? Scientists say more development needed
A wave energy testing facility led by Oregon State University will be the first of its kind in the U.S.
Scientist Burke Hales says one of the things holding back the development of ocean wave energy is the lack of places to test the equipment. But he hopes his new facility off the coast of Oregon will help change that.
"That's the idea, is that we provide the facility, the playing field for the developers who produce the devices to get real-time testing and figure out how to optimize and ultimately to figure out [if there's] a single design that's best for all waves," Hales, chief scientist at PacWaves, told The Current's host Matt Galloway.
As the world works toward achieving net-zero emissions to combat climate change, there's an urgent need for countries to speed up the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
Although ocean wave energy is staggeringly powerful—with the waves along the U.S. coasts capable of generating about 63 per cent of its utility-scale electricity in 2023—Hales says its development is about 20 years behind that of wind energy.
"When we talk about waves, we're talking about oscillatory motion, which is a completely different animal, as far as how do we convert oscillatory motion into an electrical power-producing mechanism, and that's complicated."
The PacWave facility includes two sites: PacWave North, a shallower site used for small-scale prototypes, and PacWave South, a larger site further out into the Pacific Ocean that's currently under construction.
PacWave South will be the first utility-scale, grid-connected wave energy testing site in the U.S, set to begin testing in 2025.
Hales say it will be a place where companies can evaluate their wave energy converter technology in actual ocean conditions.
How ocean wave energy works
Buckham says you can understand how ocean waves move by looking at the "wave" at a sports event.
"That illusion is created by people standing up and down in sequence, and that's exactly what a water wave is," said Buckham, co-director of the Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED) at the University of Victoria.
"If you were to track a water particle in an ocean wave, it's basically going through an elliptical orbit that's probably like 13 to 15 metres wide and 4 to 5 metres high. And it's going around and around that ellipse. And that's what a water wave is."
According to Buckham, the basic idea behind wave energy converters is that "they're some form of oscillating machine" that sits in the water and powers a generator. The electricity is transmitted to the shore through subsea cables, which then supply power to the grid.
Ocean wave energy in Canada
In a country flanked by two oceans, some Canadian scientists are also interested in harnessing the power of ocean waves.
According to data from Natural Resources Canada, the estimated energy off the Pacific Coast is 42,000 megawatts, which represents over 60 per cent of the country's annual electricity consumption. The Atlantic coast has even higher energy, reaching 146,500 megawatts.
"Stage-wise [in Canada], it's super early, so it's pre-commercial, there's no established business models … we're largely looking at prototype devices … smaller scale devices that are being field tested, and in dedicated test sites around the world," said Buckham.
Buckham's research lab, PRIMED, is part of the university's Accelerating Community Energy Transformations program, which supports communities transitioning to sustainable energy systems.
Buckham says wave energy projects involve collaboration with people from Canada, the U.S., the European Union and the United Kingdom.
"It's very much an international community."
Challenges of wave energy
Hales says ocean energy will complement other renewable sources like wind and solar, though it still needs to develop further.
"Maybe in a decade we'll see a device that has successfully tested at our facility, actually go into commercial operation or municipal operation elsewhere," said Hales.
But there are some roadblocks.
The ocean's harsh, corrosive and powerful conditions have made it difficult to design devices that can endure its effects. As a result, research continues to focus on finding ways to enhance the durability of these devices.
As an example, Hales says some developers are creating technology that can automatically submerge below the sea surface when it detects tension in its mooring systems, allowing it to avoid the most destructive waves.
"We're talking about significant marine operational commitments to putting these devices out. You have to have the right kind of vessels. You have to have the right kind of anchoring systems. You have to have the right kind of materials," said Hales.
Another challenge, says Buckham, is to reduce the cost of building wave energy converters. He says this can be achieved by either lowering the cost of equipment or by increasing the amount of energy the converters produce over time.
Supporting community
Switching to a new source of energy also requires meaningful engagement with local communities, says Buckham.
"A community like Port Alberni, [B.C.], becomes tremendously important to a wave energy industry off the west coast of Vancouver Island, because that is an accessible, deep-water port where you can get equipment in and out," said Buckham.
"But [for] the people of Port Alberni, is that something that they want? There's a whole bunch of social challenges that have to be navigated as well."
At this stage, Buckham suggests that smaller projects can serve as stepping stones to help advance the field of wave energy.
"If they do well, and we show an operational track record, and we show what the real world environmental impacts are, and you demonstrate ways to mitigate those and to manage those, then you take another step," said Buckham.
One of those projects is being led by the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation just off the west coast of Vancouver Island, where the Yuquot Wave Energy Project is harnessing the power of ocean waves to provide renewable, clean energy to their ancestral home, Yuquot on Nootka Island.
WATCH | Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation harnessing the power of waves:
Buckham's lab PRIMED is a part of the project, and they've been working to assess the feasibility of deploying a suitable wave energy converter there.
"If you serve those community needs, you've created a potential to serve a future need. If we can't serve community needs, then there is no step to take," said Buckham.
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Audio produced by Niza Nondo.