Motion of the ocean

A project involving UH and other agencies aims to speed companies' development of wave power

By Alan Yonan Jr.

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Feb 12, 2012

~~<p>Hawaii has the world's most famous surf, and someday those ocean swells might power your home.</p>
<p>Wave power is the alternative energy source in Hawaii that is the least developed but has the most potential, according to a recent federal study.</p>
<table width="50%" align="right" class="infoboxright_table">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<h4>WAVE ENERGY POTENTIAL</h4>
A recent report from the Electric Power Research Institute estimated that waters around Hawaii have the capability of producing up to 80 terawatt-hours of “recoverable” electricity a year. That’s eight times more than the 10 terawatt-hours of electricity consumed statewide last year. Hawaii’s unique position in the middle of the Pacific Ocean gives it a number of advantages over other areas in the U.S. when it comes to wave energy potential, according to the report.
<h4>WAVE ENERGY TEST SITE</h4>
The project planned for waters off Marine Corps Base Hawaii would provide offshore docking stations at various depths for up to three wave energy devices at a time to allow companies to test their technologies in a real-life environment. The project, a joint effort among the Navy, the University of Hawaii and the Department of Energy, is designed to shorten the amount of time it takes to commercialize wave energy technology.
<h4>OCEANLINX MAUI PROJECT</h4>
Australian-based Oceanlinx is in the preliminary stages of negotiating a power purchase agreement with Maui Electric Co. to provide electricity to the utility from a wave energy device it plans to position off the north shore of the Valley Isle. Oceanlinx received a preliminary permit in late 2009 from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to study the feasibility of the project, but its plans have undergone several revisions since then.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
~~

Hawaii has the world's most famous surf, and someday those ocean swells might power your home.

Wave power is the alternative energy source in Hawaii that is the least developed but has the most potential, according to a recent federal study. WAVE ENERGY POTENTIAL A recent report from the Electric Power Research Institute estimated that waters around Hawaii have the capability of producing up to 80 terawatt-hours of “recoverable” electricity a year. That’s eight times more than the 10 terawatt-hours of electricity consumed statewide last year. Hawaii’s unique position in the middle of the Pacific Ocean gives it a number of advantages over other areas in the U.S. when it comes to wave energy potential, according to the report. WAVE ENERGY TEST SITE The project planned for waters off Marine Corps Base Hawaii would provide offshore docking stations at various depths for up to three wave energy devices at a time to allow companies to test their technologies in a real-life environment. The project, a joint effort among the Navy, the University of Hawaii and the Department of Energy, is designed to shorten the amount of time it takes to commercialize wave energy technology. OCEANLINX MAUI PROJECT Australian-based Oceanlinx is in the preliminary stages of negotiating a power purchase agreement with Maui Electric Co. to provide electricity to the utility from a wave energy device it plans to position off the north shore of the Valley Isle. Oceanlinx received a preliminary permit in late 2009 from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to study the feasibility of the project, but its plans have undergone several revisions since then. Login for more...