We know hydropower from dams and from tidal currents. Here and there an attempt is made to convert the wave motion of the sea surface into current. The WaveRoller also converts the energy of waves into electricity, but then under water. The installation is placed close to the coast at a depth between 8 and 20 meters.
The WaveRoller: Norway: Like Wave Energy But Under Water
Depending on tide conditions, the system is submerged and therefore not visible. Systems are anchored to the seabed. A single WaveRoller unit has a power between 350 kW and 1000 kW. The units can be used stand-alone or in farms.
The back-and-forth movement of water, driven by waves, sets the WaveRoller panel in motion. To extract the maximum amount of energy from the waves with a WaveRoller, the device is installed under water at a depth of about 8-20 meters, where the wave surge is the most powerful. A single panel absorbs 1.5-2 MW of power from the wave surge. The panel uses the full depth of the water column from the seabed to the water surface.
When the WaveRoller panel moves and absorbs the energy of ocean waves, it transfers the energy to a closed hydraulic system that is not in contact with the salt water. There is no risk of leakage in the ocean. A hydraulic motor drives an electricity generator. The electrical output of this renewable power plant is then connected to the electricity grid via a submarine cable.
The WaveRoller on its way for its final installation
Windmills, Solar panels And The WaveRoller
The WaveRoller can be a welcome addition to the arsenal of windmills and solar panels to generate renewable energy more predictably and stably. Golf force is in fact much less affected by weather conditions than sun or wind. Waves can be more or less, but they are always on the ocean coasts. This also determines the ideal location for the system. Quiet coasts as are less suitable. But that does not mean that initiatives such as the WaveRoller cannot play a role in there area's.
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For example, you could think of golf energy parks off the Norwegian coast. Finally, we are already bringing Norwegian hydropower to other countries, and the wind farms in the North Sea are also connected to each other and to the mainland. By linking these together, countries would also be able to extract a substantial part of its clean energy needs from wave power. A first indication of the costs yields a comparable return as for wind energy. And here too, costs will decrease with the increase in the number of installations. Perhaps our green energy farmers should talk to Finland once.
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