We all know energy can come from the wind
and the sun, but there's a plentiful renewable
resource covering more than 75% of the planet
that you might not have thought about: our
water!
The movement of the ocean's waves, tides,
and currents carries energy that can be harnessed
and converted into electricity to power our
homes, buildings and cities.
The energy available in this moving water
is called kinetic energy.
Scientists and engineers are learning to capture
clean renewable ocean power using marine and
hydrokinetic technologies.
Water currents occur naturally all over the
planet.
Waves crash against coastlines.
Tidal currents ebb and flow and large currents
move water all around our oceans.
We can tap into each one of these sources
to generate electricity.
It's estimated that along U.S. coastlines,
there is enough energy in waves and tides
to meet a significant portion of America's
power needs.
So, how does it work?
That depends on what kind of hydrokinetic
power you're trying to capture, but the concept
is essentially the same: extracting power
from moving water.
For example, a buoy can harness energy from
the vertical rise and fall of ocean waves,
as well as back-and-forth and side-to-side
movements.
Currents and tides can also spin a turbine
in various directions as water moves through
an ocean power device, generating electricity.
The Energy Department is supporting research
on a range of innovative turbine technologies
to capture energy from waves, river, and tidal
currents.
Devices that operate in water have to work
under turbulent and harsh conditions.
They must be built to withstand strong currents
and impacts from debris carried in the water.
Of course, they also have to be designed to
preserve the integrity of the marine environment.
One of the greatest benefits of developing
marine energy or, ocean power, is that many
of our water resources are right where we
need them -- near the most populated areas.
More than half of all Americans live close
to coastlines where the potential for ocean
power is the greatest, and some cities and
towns can use power from tidal currents.
Marine and hydrokinetic technologies are still
a ways off from widespread adoption.
But today, dozens of organizations are already
working to deploy ocean power systems throughout
the world.
Marine and hydrokinetic technology: a new
wave in harnessing clean, renewable energy
from all sorts of water resources right here
at home.
