How Will Ocean Energy Lead Us To A Better Future?
How Will Ocean Energy Lead Us To A Better Future? https://h2-heat.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1920x1080_cmsv2_8c96fb2e-e125-5699-b01d-6e87f2e0a776-1114f6af9ad50a300bfdb54b2d29475e775e3d7c647b.jpg-1024x576.webp 1024 576 H2Heat Project https://h2-heat.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1920x1080_cmsv2_8c96fb2e-e125-5699-b01d-6e87f2e0a776-1114f6af9ad50a300bfdb54b2d29475e775e3d7c647b.jpg-1024x576.webpsource of original text: euronews.com
Leaders in the renewable energy sector explained to Euronews Correspondent Denis Loctier, how Europe can make better use of its surrounding waters to generate a reliable and sustainable source of electricity.
The world’s oceans, covering approximately 70 per cent of the planet’s surface, are, for the most part, an untapped energy source. However, Wavepiston, a global leader in wave energy solutions, wants to change all that by harnessing the power of the ocean.
The Danish company has created high-power water pipes with the support of the European Union. The natural movement of the waves generates clean energy with the help of underwater plates and a turbine.
The device is currently undergoing a year-long test off the coast of Gran Canaria in the Atlantic Ocean. The method is intentionally simple but effective, cutting down on costly offshore repairs. The seawater, once pumped to land, serves two purposes; it can be used to generate clean energy or desalinated to create fresh water.
Michael Henriksen, the CEO and founder of Wavepiston told Euronews that it is important to have these pipes relatively close to the shore to make energy conversion easier. Unlike wind turbines, which some argue are unsightly and obstruct areas of natural beauty, these pipes are underwater and therefore don’t obstruct the view.
The energy converters and desalination components are located at an offshore research facility called the PLOCAN platform. Here, Wavepiston has access to a power grid and a wide range of tools. The company uses plates made of polypropylene, a material that can bend without snapping and withstand stormy conditions without breaking down.
