Wave energy basics

Introduction
Wave energy is renewable energy source which could in years to come become a very interesting energy option to cut our reliance on fossil fuels and improve our energy security. Harnessing wave power is yet to become commercially viable, though we are talking about one of the most abundant energy resources on our planet(the useful worldwide wave resources have been estimated to be greater than 2 TW).

What's good about wave energy?

Wave energy is clean, environmentally friendly renewable source of energy. There are many areas where ocean winds blow with required consistency and power to efficiently harness this form of renewable energy. Wave power has enormous potential, and also waves are quite predictable, up to five days in advance, which should make harnessing wave energy lot easier.

What's not good about wave energy?

Expensive technology that has just only started developing. Rough weather conditions require powerfully built wave energy projects which leads to high initial costs. The potential disruption of nearby marine ecosystems (noise and visual pollution).

Wave energy on global scale

Wave power is yet to have some impact on global scale, and currently there have been only few wave power project worthy to mention, like for instance the Aguçadoura Wave Park in Portugal. Harnessing wave energy must become commercially viable prior to being used on global scale.

Wave energy in United States

In the United States, the Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative is funding the building of a commercial wave-power park at Reedsport, Oregon. US is currently not paying much attention to this renewable energy source.

Wave energy farms

As already said before the most famous wave farm in the world is the Aguçadoura Wave Park wave farm in Portugal, which was the world's first commercial wave farm. Currently world's largest working wave-energy system, was launched in Scotland's Orkney Islands in 2009 that has a peak power output of around 2MW.

Wave energy environmental impact

Harnessing wave energy has overall positive environmental impact, and the only possible negative consequences could be in form of noise and visual pollution, that could somewhat disrupt marine life in nearby area.