Incredible wave energy technologies are revealed and promise to revolutionize the renewable energy market once and for all!

A Finnish company is advancing in the renewable energy sector with the launch of a new technology capable of generating energy from sea waves. Known as tidal energy, this innovation promises to revolutionize the energy sector, offering a sustainable and highly efficient source of energy.

The search for new sources of renewable energy has led humanity to explore the four elements in impressive ways, transforming them into powerful sources of energy, such as tidal energy. Today, plants generate electricity from coal, gas, river water, wind and sunlight. However, leaving 70% of the planet underutilized is seen as an unacceptable waste by energy experts. Now scientists are turning their attention to the ocean, which covers most of the Earth, and claim the sea could be the world's largest battery. Wave energy, also known as tidal energy, is being touted as the next big revolution in the energy sector, promising to transform the way we power the world.

With this innovation, the ocean can become an inexhaustible source of clean energy, paving the way for a more sustainable and affordable future.

Tidal energy has been used for centuries

Theoretically, only on the coast of United States The annual tidal energy potential is estimated at 2,64 trillion kWh, equivalent to about 64% of total electricity generation in the United States in 2021. 

For more than a century, scientists have been trying to convert wave energy into electricity. The first such attempt was in 1799, when a request for the construction of a Wave Mill appeared at the Paris patent office. This idea was developed for quite some time and gradually transformed into a wave turbine design that was for a long time the most popular solution. 

The project would be located below the wave flow and would be driven by the air that the wave displaces from a special camera. The main disadvantage of this method of using tidal energy is curiously due to the laws of physics and the enormous energy potential, as waves would easily crush the steel blades of hydraulic turbines, meaning that such a station could not withstand strong waves.

Oceanologists and economists spoke about this project to use wave energy and pointed out the fact that the Plant's infrastructure could harm marine flora and fauna.

Discover new technologies that generate wave energy

There are several technological approaches to capturing wave energy. Some of the most promising include:

Oscillating Water Columns (OWC): This technology uses the upward and downward movement of waves to compress and decompress the air inside a chamber. The variation in air pressure drives a turbine, generating electricity. The simplicity and durability of this technology make it a favorite for offshore projects.

Wave Energy Converters (WEC): WECs are devices that float on the ocean surface and capture wave energy as it moves them up and down. This kinetic energy is then converted into electricity. Different designs, such as float oscillation devices and coils, are being tested to maximize efficiency.

Energy Jams: Projects like Wave Dragon use an elevated water collection system, where waves propel water into an elevated dam. The water then returns to the sea through turbines, generating electricity. This method combines aspects of hydroelectric dams with wave energy, providing a hybrid approach.

Companies that are leading the revolution with wave energy generation

Several companies around the world are at the forefront of wave energy development:

Pelamis Wave Power: This British company pioneered coil technology to capture wave energy. Although Pelamis faced financial challenges and ceased operations, its innovations continue to influence the industry.

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT): Based in the United States, OPT has developed the PowerBuoy, a floating device that converts wave motion into electricity. PowerBuoy has already been successfully tested in various parts of the world, demonstrating the commercial viability of wave energy.

Wave Swell Energy: This Australian company is developing an improved version of the oscillating water column. Its project on King Island, Tasmania, is among the most advanced, and the energy generated is fed into the local electricity grid.

CorPower Ocean: Based in Sweden, CorPower has developed highly efficient float technology that can capture large amounts of energy with relatively small devices. With support from the European Union, CorPower is preparing to implement its systems on a large scale.

Finnish tidal energy technology gains prominence in the clean energy market

Thinking about how to make tidal energy useful, two neuroscientists founded the Finnish company AWEnergy, which converts tidal energy into electricity. Between 2019 and 2021 this company's innovative renewable energy generator underwent field testing on the coast of Portugal with impressive results. The system, called Wave Roller, is impressively simple.

It is a movable panel and a force system, which are placed on the maritime foundation. The panel is driven by wave energy, hydraulic pumps are attached to the panel and pump fluid within a closed circuit. Other high-pressure fluids are fed into the energy storage system connected to the hydraulic motor, driving the renewable energy generator directly. 

O Wave Roller It has several advantages when compared with wind farms, which are more popular today. Visually they are not intrusive and settle firmly on the seabed at a good depth. Furthermore, its source of momentum, tidal energy, is much more reliable because waves, unlike wind, are regular and therefore predictable. 

New wave energy technology could revolutionize the sector

In tests of the tidal power plant, even a prototype was able to provide 350 kW of power. The Wave Roller passed all tests with honors thanks to its design features. The load that wave energy takes to the converter is compensated by the fact that it is located on the seabed and therefore has a lower center of gravity than any turbine.

The results make it clear that the company's plans to master tidal energy have every chance of becoming a reality. AWEnergy has already become a member of the revolutionary Neste Veturi initiative, having secured its support and that of its partners. This also consolidates the success already demonstrated in repeated tests with the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution, providing environmental accounting and economic profitability for the Wave Roller.