Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Electricity from ocean waves is coming

A new wave in electricity is coming, and it doesn't produce CO2. That makes ocean wave power compelling. Now the first ever commercial permit has been issued for a wave power-to electricity facility in nearby ocean waters off Washington.

Is it a good idea to generate electricity from ocean waves, or does it create scary new impacts? Where should wave power be harnessed for electricity?

Washington is a great place for ocean wave electricity. We have a rough ocean and lots of wave energy, nearly all the time. Another wave power proposal off Westport, Washington is on the table, and attracting some opposition. Tres Arboles doubts that Westport is the right place, no maybe he's a little stronger than just doubting. Here's the view from the company with the permit.

Westport has a great surfing beach, and that may be a higher use of the ocean than making electricity. How should we decide?

Is it time for ocean zoning? Should Washington and other states figure out where to fish, generate electricity, have undersea cables, and surf? Yes. Otherwise these decisions will happen one at a time and we'll find ourselves sorry in 30 years when we have the ocean equivalent of unplanned development (think Houston).

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Generation of "electricity" creates electromagnetic force fields.
Putting these in the ocean is detrimental to marine life .
It would be better in the long term to learn to do with less.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, less people. How about some birth control. Corporations say, more people, equals more money.