Ocean Waves Power Generation: Derivative Techniques, Efficient Location, and Environmental Challenges

This research paper discusses the ocean wave power generation, its advantages over other renewable energy sources, and the available techniques for deriving efficient locations for setting up power plants. It also covers the environmental challenges associated with ocean wave power generation and possible solutions. The paper includes a literature review and research questions.

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PROJECT PROPOSAL ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OCEAN WAVES POWER
GENERATION
A Research Paper on Energy By
Student’s Name
Name of the Professor
Institutional Affiliation
City/State
Year/Month/Day

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The ocean wave energy is produced as a result of the winds interacting with the ocean
surface. The process of extraction of wave power does not emit carbon dioxide or generate any
waste. The wave power can be generated in the entire year compared to other renewable energy
sources. The attainable energy flux in the wave energy is greater than the energy flux attainable
from wind or solar renewable sources. Specifically, a small quantity of the wave power is used
for the commercial generation of electric power currently out of the huge quantity of energy
stored in the waves. The extreme waves under the sea and ocean water do not modify the coastal
and marine ecosystems at the sites in which they impact but may also produce larger-scale
effects through the alteration of connectivity, the movement of energy, materials, and organisms
between habitat units within seascapes. One of the available technique techniques of deriving the
efficient location for setting up the plant of energy generation which can provide minimum
maintenance and setup cost with maximum power is the use of wave energy converter (WEC).

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INTRODUCTION
The consumption of power all over the world is estimated to increase over the coming
years. The traditional methods of power generation are contributing to the extreme
environmental effects that are still ambiguous. The problems associated with the use of fossil
fuels have brought the technologies of renewable energy under the spotlight. Some of the
emerging energy sources for the renewable energy include geothermal, biomass, ocean, solar,
and wind. The ocean energy sources are one of the most imminent energy source for biomass,
solar, and wind sources. Approximately 70% of the surface of the earth is covered with oceans
which involve the abundant quantity of energy in the form of thermal gradient, marine current,
tidal, and wave.
The wave power can be generated in the entire year compared to other renewable energy
sources. The attainable energy flux in the wave energy is greater than the energy flux attainable
from wind or solar renewable sources. The literature review below evaluate the available past
and present literature regarding the ocean wave power generation and provides the possible gaps
and information to do development implementation, and further research in the future (Baddour,
2010).
LITERATURE REVIEW
The waves referred to in this proposal are ocean waves generated by the wind. During the
shinning of the sun on the world, there is heating of the air resulting to the difference in pressure
that are the engines that propagate the winds. The energy from the sun can then be concentrated
in or transferred to the wind. The wave energy can be captured at either onshore or offshore.
There are numerous types of potentially efficient devices that have been identified which require

Ocean Waves Power 4
not larger compared to the commonplace in shipbuilding. There are numerous methods that can
be used in concentrating ocean wave energy which is commonly known as Wave Energy
Converters. The generators can be positioned on the seashore to protect it from extreme waves of
the sea surface (Charlier, 2011).
At Uppsala University in Sweden, the Renewable Electric Energy Conversion project
using the permanent magnet linear generated positioned on the coastal region where the wave
energy converters are impelled by point absorbing floating buoy to produce electricity. In the
current experiment, a wave energy converter has been joined to the diverse resistive loads, ultra-
capacitors, and diode rectifier. The outcomes denote that the generator loads is beneficial when
the generation of power is to be maximized. The average power absorbed increases with a
decreasing resistive load (Danielsson, 2008).
Some of the factors that have affected the development of the systems of wave energy
include testing huge prototypes under severe environmental conditions, deploying, and high
costs of construction. The efficient power or energy pulling from the waves composed of
practical and technical; challenges and the most perplexing is to derive the wave behaviour
accurately as it relies on the friction between the surface water and wind of the ocean. The
extracted power from the ocean waves by the WEC depends on the control strategy, power off-
shore site, hydrodynamic characteristics of the device, and also the wave conditions at the site
off-shore (Gerald, 2009).
The process of energy harvesting is attained through converting the wave energy of
Transverse Ocean to the electrical energy through the piezoelectric patches attached on the
cantilevers secured on the buoy. A point absorber wave extractor is then established with two
systems of the coaxial cylinder. The system is composed of the outer cylinder which oscillates

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vertically and the inner cylinder which performs under tension. The harvester is made of a
system of mass-spring used for wave motions transfer to mechanical vibrations and tow devices
of piezoelectricity-lever used for the purposes of transferring and amplification of the mechanical
vibration collected to electrical power (Goldin, 2012).
The controller of MCWT is an optimum power point tracking controller amended to
account for the wave conditions incoming and also WEC output power. This controller is used
for controlling latching of a water column oscillating with Wells turbine, maximizing the time of
latching based on the state of the sea. This design can be used in capturing the vibrations of low
frequency by incorporating the boats and buoys (Justus, 2013). Australia is surrounded by the
Pacific Ocean in the Easter side and the Indian Ocean in the western side making the country to
be known as the most promising region for harvesting wave energy globally. States such as
South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania are known for their high levels of
annual wave energy of approximately 30kW per meter along the coast exposed (Khaligh, 2010).
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 What are some of the derivate techniques of harvesting or capturing sea and ocean wave
energy?
 What are some of the available techniques of deriving the efficient location for setting up
a plant of energy generation which can provide minimum maintenance and setup cost
with maximum power?
 How can the environmental challenges such as the extreme impact of waves under the sea
and ocean water and carrion be solved? (Takahashi, 2011)
THEORETICAL CONTENT
This section analyzes the theoretical basis of the ocean power generation and also the
impacts of the approaches on the ocean wave generation process. The wave power derivate
techniques are normally grouped by the method used in capturing the wave energy, power take-

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off system, and by the location. The categories of power take-off system include linear electrical
generator, air turbine, hydroelectric turbine, pump-to-shore, elastomeric hose pump, and
hydraulic ram (Lynn, 2013).
Derivate Techniques of Harvesting Sea and Ocean Wave Energy
Submerged Pressure Differential
This derivate technique is based on the converters and is relatively new technology using the
reinforced rubber membranes in extracting wave energy. The converters use the pressure
difference at diverse positions beneath a wave to generate a difference in pressure within a
system of closed power take-off fluid. The difference in pressure is generally used in the
generation of flow, which drives an electrical generator and a turbine. The pressure differential
converters submerged frequently apply flexible membranes as the surface for working amongst
the system of power take-off and the ocean (Lynn, 2013).
Overtopping Device
This device is a long structure that utilize the velocity of the wave to fill a reservoir to a higher
level of water compared to the ocean or sea surrounding. The potential energy in the height of
the reservoir is then harvested with turbines of the low head. Devices can be either floating
offshore or on shore. The devices floating pose environmental worries regarding the mooring
system affecting electromagnetic force generated from the subsea cable, organisms becoming
entangled, and benthic organisms are also affected (Mehrangiza, 2011).
Oscillating Water Column

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These devices can be positioned in deeper waters offshore or on shore. With an air chamber
integrated into the oscillating water column, it swells the air compressed in the chambers
compelling air to the turbine of air to generate electricity. Substantial noise is generated as air is
forced in the turbines, this affects the marine organisms and birds potentially within the device
vicinity (Multon, 2013).
Surface Attenuator
The surface attenuator performs just like the point absorber buoys, with numerous segments
floating coupled to each other and are perpendicularly oriented to the waves incoming. A flexing
movement is produced by waves that propagate hydraulic pumps to produce energy. The impacts
of this device to the environment are related to those of the point absorber buoys, with an extra
anxiety that micro-organisms could be strained in the joints (Neill, 2018).
Point Absorber Buoy
The point absorber buoy floats on the water surface, attached in position by cables joined to the
seabed. Buoys utilize the fall and rise of the seabed to produce electric energy in numerous
techniques such as directly through linear generators or through generators propelled by
hydraulic pumps or linear-to-rotary converters. The generated EMF by acoustics and electrical
cables for transmission may be an anxiety for the micro-organisms in marine environment. The
existence of buoys is likely to interfere with birds, fish, and marine mammals since there is a
potential for risks of collision (Patel, 2012).
Efficient Location for Setting up a plant of Energy Generation
One of the available technique techniques of deriving the efficient location for setting up
a plant of energy generation which can provide minimum maintenance and setup cost with

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maximum power is the use of wave energy converter (WEC). There are numerous types of wave
energy converters and these are used depending on the magnitude, location, and requirements of
the given project. The Wave Energy Converters are devices which harvest the energy from
waves and transforms it into electricity. These devices are classified according to their
directional characteristics, operating principle, and the location where they are installed. The
principle of operation refers to the approach of energy extraction (Peche, 2016).
The wave energy converters are developed progressively and they are recognized to be
grouped in productions dependent on their installed location. The initial production of the wave
energy converters was installed on the shoreline and hence these categories of WEC were
referred to as shoreline WECs. The following generation of wave energy converters was installed
at locations nearshore and also referred to as nearshore wave energy converter. The third
generation wave energy converters were installed offshore and are referred to as offshore wave
energy converters and also installed under conditions that are tougher and harsher and these
factors bring their operation and installation at higher levels compared to the rest of the wave
energy converters (Peppas, 2009).
The operation principles of the wave energy converter can be categorized into three
major parts, namely, oscillating water columns, wave activated bodies, and overtopping devices.
The wave activated bodies devices oscillate as a result of the actions of the wave and majority of
them use hydraulic systems for the purposes of electricity generation. The overtopping devices
apply the overtopping of water from the waves into a reservoir which takes the water at higher
heights compared to the height of sea and propel the hydro-power to generate electricity. The
oscillating water column uses the waves to expand and compress air so as to rotate an air turbine
which is used in the generation of electricity (Peppas, 2009).

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Environmental Challenges and Possible Solution on Ocean Power Generation
The extreme waves under the sea and ocean water do not modify the coastal and marine
ecosystems at the sites in which they impact but may also produce larger-scale effects through
the alteration of connectivity, the movement of energy, materials, and organisms between habitat
units within seascapes. The extreme waves under the sea modify connectivity through alteration
of trophic connectivity and creation of barriers to the movement of some organisms. The
ecological connectivity refers to the manner in which the landscape impedes or enables the
movement of energy, materials, and organisms between the habitat units (Wright, 2017).
In the aquatic environment, connectivity can be a specifically significant determinant of
the ecosystem functionality and structure of the community since numerous organisms display
diverse stages in life history that utilize different habitats and shows positive and negative
interactions with other organisms that live across the boundaries of the habitat (Plummer, 2009).
The extreme waves also affect the passive and active movement of the reproductive propagules,
adult organisms, or early-stages from the source population to sink population, this prevents
demographic extinction and decline of sink population. Such moves are not only significant in
the determination of the distribution, survival, and growth of species and their interaction but
also can redistribute resources such as nitrogenous waste from marine mammals and birds
(Seymour, 2009).
One of the ways through which the environmental challenges such as the extreme impact
of waves under the sea and ocean water and carrion can be solved in through creation of barriers
to the movement of the waves. The artificial structures can prevent the extreme waves from
washing away the habitats of marine organisms and also affecting the ecological connectivity of
this organism. Physical structures can also be erected so as to stabilize shorelines and also to

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establish physical barriers to the movement of extreme waves. Structures such as groynes can be
constructed perpendicularly to the shoreline basically to reduce the wave action and tidal
currents on their landward side. The technologies used onshore should also use environmentally
friendly materials to reduce the ecological stress and promote the development of natural
communities (Seymour, 2009).
EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP
The field set-up of the research will be an empirical study to examine opinions from
diverse ocean wave power generation companies in Australia. The targeted companies include
Bombora Wave Power based in Western Australia, Oceanlinx based in South Australia, Ocean
Power Technologies based in Victoria, and the CETO wave farm based in Western Australia.
These companies are responsible for harvesting energy from wind waves to perform the useful
work of a generation of electricity by the use of Wave Energy Converter. The study will not be
limited to any technology used by the companies during the process of ocean wave energy power
generation, or the geographical position of the station or even a specific industry since the
research sought to determine these technologies and their wave of operation (Stelzer, 2012).
All the relevant information pertaining the technologies, methods, and techniques of
ocean wave power generation will be stained during the field set-up. Just like any other field set-
up, there is no guarantee that the rate of response for the survey will be 100%. Through
cooperation with diverse ocean wave power generation companies, the researcher can ensure that
the data acquired and analyzed is as precise as possible. The survey would apply closed-ended
questions to advance the data collection method since they are easy to respond compared to
open-ended questions (TRW, 2009).

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POTENTIAL RESULTS, OUTCOME AND RELEVANCE
The table below simplifies the relevance of each hypothesis in answering the research questions.
No Research Questions Relevant Hypothesis
Q1 What are some of the derivate techniques of
harvesting or capturing sea and ocean wave
energy?
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
Submerged pressure differential
Surface attenuator
Point absorber buoy
Overtopping device
Oscillating water column
Oscillating wave surge converter
Q2 What are some of the available techniques
of deriving the efficient location for setting
up a plant of energy generation which can
provide minimum maintenance and setup
cost with maximum power?
H7 Wave Energy Converter (WEC)
which can further be categorized
into three parts, namely wave
activated bodies, overtopping
devices, and oscillating water
columns
Q3 How can the environmental challenges such
as the extreme impact of waves under the
sea and ocean water and carrion be solved?
H8
H9
Creation of barriers to the movement
of the waves
Construction of groynes
perpendicularly to the shoreline
Table 1: Summary of Relevance between Research Questions and Hypotheses.
The data that this research will be working at is basically concerning the quantitative empirical
data attained from responses during survey for the process of ocean wave power generation
companies and professionals. Since the research deals with field experts, the data analysis
method is a non-probabilistic purposive sampling type. Upon collection of the responses, it will
be possible to point the best technology that can be used during energy harvesting. Majority of
responses consider Point absorber buoy as the derivate technique of harvesting or capturing sea
and ocean wave energy. Majority of the companies apply the wave energy converter when
deriving the efficient location for setting up a plant of energy generation with minimum
maintenance and maximum power output (Takahashi, 2011).

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PROJECT PLANNING
The project plan has been developed and provides care to take into consideration all the
undertakings stated in the preceding parts that will be required to achieve the empirical study.
The duration projected of the proposed project is 23 working months.
Figure 1: Engineering Graduate Project Phases
Figure 1: Proposed Project Gantt chart

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CONCLUSION
The waves referred to in this proposal are ocean waves generated by the wind. During the
shinning of the sun on the world, there is heating of the air resulting to the difference in pressure
that are the engines that propagate the winds. The energy from the sun can then be concentrated
in or transferred to the wind. The wave energy can be captured at either onshore or offshore.
Majority of responses consider Point absorber buoy as the derivate technique of harvesting or
capturing sea and ocean wave energy. The extreme waves under the sea modify connectivity
through alteration of trophic connectivity and creation of berries to the movement of some
organisms. The ecological connectivity refers to the manner in which the landscape impedes or
enables the movement of energy, materials, and organisms between the habitat units.

Ocean Waves Power 14
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Research Council.
Charlier, H., 2011. Ocean Energy: Tide and Tidal Power. Moscow: Springer Science & Business Media.
Danielsson, O., 2008. Experimental results from sea trials of an offshore wave energy system.
Melbourne: Applied Physics Letters.
Gerald, W., 2009. Harvesting ocean energy. Melbourne: The Unesco Press.
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Takahashi, P., 2011. Ocean thermal energy conversion. Colorado: John Wiley.

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