A company called Eco Wave Power has launched the first U.S. wave energy project in the Port of Los Angeles. The system captures the motion of ocean waves to generate renewable electricity.
The Eco Wave Power system harnesses hydraulic energy with floaters installed near the shore on existing structures like breakwaters, piers, and jetties. The floaters bob up and down with wave movement, which creates pressure that drives a hydraulic motor and a generator. Only the system’s floaters are actually in the water, and they aren’t connected to any electrical lines. These hydraulic cylinders then send pressurized fluid to a land-based energy conversion unit. Thus, there are no underwater transmission lines as is the case for offshore wind generation.
The hydraulic motor and generator are housed inside a standard shipping container. The electricity generated by the system is then connected to the grid. Breakwaters and piers are often owned by ports, and ports are large consumers of electricity, which means that there is likely to be an electric substation nearby.
This demonstration project has several goals. Foremost, it is a showcase for Eco Wave Power’s patented onshore wave energy technology in U.S. marine conditions. It will serve as an educational hub for potential industry partners, regulators, and potential customers. It will also support environmental monitoring and other regulatory requirements that can inform local stakeholders and authorities that will be involved in any future deployments.
Wave energy has great potential. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that wave energy has the potential to provide electricity for 130 million homes.
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Eco Wave Power launches its first U.S. wave energy project
Photo, posted October 17, 2022, courtesy of Andrew Meldrum via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio