Is sustainable electricity possible through wave power plants?

Question

I have recently been doing some research on sustainable electricity on the internet and I came across this:

This is a kind of floating mat that can generate electricity through wave power. According to the internet, it can generate up to 100 MW. My question now: Is this really possible?

littlethought · Answer

To buy it is obviously not yet, but it probably does. (see https://www.netzwelt.de/news/206989-small-waveline-magnet-guenstig-Nachhaltig-efficient.html )

mathelabor · Answer

Depends on the design. A lot of moving parts must be maintained. In addition, the aggressive salt water is added as a load. In addition, attention must also be paid to the type of anchoring in the case of heavy wave gear. Finally, the generated current must also somehow come on land, as loss-free as possible. Since each cable has a resistance, of course, more and more power is lost, the further these power plants are removed from the mainland. The monitoring of the system and the cables pose an additional challenge, not only the production and processing of the particularly resistant materials. In addition, however, there is also a risk of these cables hanging on rocks, or tearing, the further they are away from the mainland. In addition, ship traffic would not be disturbed by these power plants.

So there are many difficulties. But that's just the ones I've recognized for a short time.

dietmarbakel · Answer

Well, the things are in "use" in many places in the trial stage.

Wearing is probably the problem so far.

Whether this "alternative" can be a commercial success is controversial.

I personally do not see great global importance.

Maybe for the Faroe Islands or South Georgia, etc. in exposed position.

zelli7 · Answer

Why far away from the mainland you could mount the wave panel near the beach. There are enough waves depending on the location.

Then most of your negative arguments would fit…

I think that's a good idea.

karlranseieriii · Answer

Technically, it's as much as possible. The question must therefore be more clear: does it pay for itself and can one get the problems under control:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellenkraft#problems

There are also damages to offshore WEAs after every winter storm/hurricane, which must be repaired again.

thomasjnewton · Answer

This is safe, the question is only, as with many other ideas, whether this is going to happen. And certainly also who, if it is calculated, drives it.
The small mat will certainly not produce 100 MW, as it needs large solutions, or many small ones.

hologence · Answer

yes, prototypes have been tested around the Orkneys and have generated electricity. The problem is maintenance. https://youtu.be/5fiEEjulQSo https://youtu.be/h9boE1TfSA4

dompfeifer · Answer

Wave power plant technology is now about half a century old, but has not yet come out of its infancy. You can read the different technical lines at Wiki. None of them have been economically viable so far. The risks are high because of inattentive weather events.

Europe's first wave power plant went into operation on November 13, 1985 on a steep coast of the Norwegian island of Toftestalen. But after only three years, the entire pilot plant is unsettled in the Atlantic. A mighty storm ripped them out of the rocky wall.

boltze · Answer

There are wave power plants, but not many. Since the waveform depends on many factors and is not predictable, such devices on a large scale are not sensitive. So the salt water does not go well to the components.