Hi, what are you looking for?
NREL-Led Breakthrough Pushes Perovskite Solar Cell to Greater Stability & Efficiency
Federal Working Group: Rapid Response Team to Support Energy Communities in The Four Corners
How to Start Your Career in Clean Energy
Off Grid, Big House — No Worries
Tesla Data Inform World-First Study
Federal Working Group: Rapid Response Team to Support Energy Communities in The Four Corners
How to Start Your Career in Clean Energy
Tesla Data Inform World-First Study
Electrolyzer Supply to Increase Green Hydrogen Availability
Biden–Harris Admin Launches New Offices to Lower Energy Costs & Deploy Clean Power Nationwide
New Lithium StoryMap & the Future of Electrification
Enhanced Geothermal Technology Cracks The 24/7 Energy Code
Decarbonizing Data Centers — It’s Fun!
Most Renewables Now Cheaper Than Cheapest Coal
Kenya Elections: Electric Mobility, Utility Scale Battery Storage, Energy Efficiency & Green Hydrogen Feature Prominently
How Bad Is The Battery Manufacturing Process For EVs?
Off Grid, Big House — No Worries
Questions About IRA Benefits? Rewiring America Has The Answers
Biden-Harris Admin Launches $675 Million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Program to Expand Domestic Critical Materials Supply Chains
10 Big Cleantech Benefits in Inflation Reduction Act
Biden–Harris Admin Launches $10.5 Billion Investment to Strengthen America’s Electric Grid
Electric Vehicles Don’t Break The Grid, And They Can Help Boost It
Stryten Energy Applauds Investments in Energy Security & U.S. Manufacturers With Passage Of Inflation Reduction Act
First V2G (Vehicle to Grid) System on Launches NYC Grid
Comparing The US & China On Climate, Economy, & Other Outcomes Should Be Deeply Humbling For America
Understanding The High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA)
Questions About IRA Benefits? Rewiring America Has The Answers
10 Big Cleantech Benefits in Inflation Reduction Act
A Cheap Clean RV Option Emerges
Why It Makes Sense To Put A Transmission In Dodge’s Upcoming EV Muscle Cars
After Banning Gas Cars, California Tells EV Drivers to Hold Back on Charging
Round Two: Illinois Electric Motorcycle Rebate
Polestar 6 Roadster Sells Out in One Week!
Cruise Issues Robotaxi Recall (Software Recall) After Passenger Injured
Sweden Plugin EV Share At 46.1% In August
Gooloo GTX 280 Compact Power Station — CleanTechnica Review
CleanTechnica Tested: Vanpowers Super Power Pro 2000 Portable Power Station
Lion Safari UT 1300 Battery Review
CleanTechnica Tested: The Lion Safari ME Portable Power Station
Tesla Aero Hubcap Replacement: Hub & Lug Nut Covers — Quick Installation & Review (Video)
Sweden Plugin EV Share At 46.1% In August
Tesla Model Y & Model 3 Two Best Selling Vehicles In California
Electric Vehicles = 10% of New Vehicle Sales Globally!
Top 10 Cities For Solar Power Per Capita in USA — Charts
Which Legacy Automaker Is Selling Most EVs As Portion Of Overall Sales In USA?
Gooloo GTX 280 Compact Power Station — CleanTechnica Review
CleanTechnica Tested: Vanpowers Super Power Pro 2000 Portable Power Station
Lion Safari UT 1300 Battery Review
CleanTechnica Tested: The Lion Safari ME Portable Power Station
Tesla Aero Hubcap Replacement: Hub & Lug Nut Covers — Quick Installation & Review (Video)
2022 Nissan Leaf S Plus — CleanTechnica Review (VIDEO)
Ford F-150 Lightning — CleanTechnica Review
Tesla Q4 Shareholder Conference Call — Watch & Listen Here
Volkswagen Group — In-Depth Conference Call Highlights Company’s Focus On Transition
Bill McKibben On Unions, Tesla, & Elon Musk — CleanTechnica Interview
Energy from the ocean, without the giant wind turbines.
Sea Wave Energy Ltd. (they go by “SWEL,” natch) has spent the better part of the last decade developing a floating, wave-riding generator that the company claims will produce a whole lot of tidal energy for not a whole lot of money.
First shown to the world a few years and recently back in the news, SWEL’s floating wave energy device is called the “Waveline Magnet,” and it’s basically a long, modular chain of plastic floats that are designed to sit on top of the water, lined up perpendicular to the shore (i.e., directly into the waves). As the waves pass below the Waveline Magnet, the floats follow the contours of the water, creating a sort-of “up and down” serpentine motion in the chains of floats that works on lever arms to drive low-cost electrical generators inside the spine units on both their upward and downward motions.
The best part? Waves are free — and the electricity it produces is nearly free, as well!
“One single Waveline Magnet will be rated at over 100 MW in energetic environments,” said the inventor of the device and SWEL’s CEO, Adam Zakheos, “… we can show how a commercial sized device using our technology will achieve a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) less than 1¢€(US$0.01)/kWh, crushing today’s wave energy industry reference value of 85¢€ (US$0.84)/kWh.”
The US has enjoyed cheap energy for decades and we generally average about $0.10 per kWh. Producing energy for $0.01/kWh would be something, especially if we can do that without burning more fossil fuels. However, big promises like these require big evidence, and we’re yet to see that.
Nonetheless, as a thought experiment, consider that “topping off” a massive 210 kWh battery like the one in the new GMC Hummer EV would cost just $2.10 using that $0.01/kWh rate. Which, you know, I’ll take that. However, even if SWEL achieves it’s target, that would be the wholesale cost, not the retail cost of electricity.
You can check out the Waveline Magnet Concept Design in this video below, then let us know what you think of this particular version of “offshore energy” in the comments.
Source | Images: SWEL, via New Atlas; Yanko Design.
I've been involved in motorsports and tuning since 1997, and have been a part of the Important Media Network since 2008. You can find me here, working on my Volvo fansite, riding a motorcycle around Chicago, or chasing my kids around Oak Park.
#1 most loved electric vehicle, solar energy, and battery news & analysis site in the world. Support our work today!
Advertise with CleanTechnica to get your company in front of millions of monthly readers.
Harnessing the power of waves, tides, and currents could unlock the secrets to achieving greater energy security with minimal environmental impact. By some estimates,...
NREL’s First Wave Tank Could Fast-Track Novel Marine Energy Technologies
A new, easy-to-install desalination system runs on wave energy with an assist from on-board solar panels
Revamped Software Offers Marine Energy Industry the Data It Needs To Succeed, Ocean Energy & River Power Is marine energy finally here? This question,...
Copyright © 2021 CleanTechnica. The content produced by this site is for entertainment purposes only. Opinions and comments published on this site may not be sanctioned by and do not necessarily represent the views of CleanTechnica, its owners, sponsors, affiliates, or subsidiaries.