Shoring Up Wave Energy s Bottom Line Through Variable-Geometry WEC Designs
Jan. 13, 2021
Control is key: Variable-geometry components may improve energy capture and efficiency, reduce device costs, and pave the way to more affordable wave energy.
Image by Josh Bauer, NREL
Sustainable, plentiful wave energy holds vast potential for powering the lives of millions of Americans, with 50% of the U.S. population living within 50 miles of the shoreline; however, wave energy converters (WECs) are still in the early stages of technological development relative to more mature renewable energy alternatives.
A major challenge currently facing the technology is the achievement of cost competitiveness.