Blowhole wave energy could soon be world’s cheapest clean power

The UniWave sea platform is an artificial blowhole that harvests energy from ocean waves. Independent analysts now predict it’ll create some of the cheapest renewable energy on the market – and some of the most reliable and predictable, as well.

We first encountered Wave Swell Energy (WSE) and the UniWave back in early 2021. This curious, half-sunken-looking concrete structure is designed to efficiently replicate the shape of a natural blowhole – a rock formation that channels waves in at the bottom and features a hole further up the top. As the waves move into the channel, they push out the ambient air through the hole – sometimes causing water to come spouting out as well.

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Tau.Neutrino said:

Blowhole wave energy could soon be world’s cheapest clean power

The UniWave sea platform is an artificial blowhole that harvests energy from ocean waves. Independent analysts now predict it’ll create some of the cheapest renewable energy on the market – and some of the most reliable and predictable, as well.

We first encountered Wave Swell Energy (WSE) and the UniWave back in early 2021. This curious, half-sunken-looking concrete structure is designed to efficiently replicate the shape of a natural blowhole – a rock formation that channels waves in at the bottom and features a hole further up the top. As the waves move into the channel, they push out the ambient air through the hole – sometimes causing water to come spouting out as well.

more…

People have been looking at things like this for ever, so I’m a bit sceptical it will actually work out as cheap as they claim, but we’ll see.

from the article

The news is frankly pretty amazing. Part 1 of the CSIRO report finds that in its current early form, a 1-MW UniWave unit already has an LCoE roughly competitive with running a diesel generator at a remote location. But applying an industry-wide “learning rate,” the report predicts that “the WSE technology can achieve an LCoE of AU$0.05 (US$0.032)/kWh, which is equal to the current lowest cost generation of onshore wind and solar, if it can reach a deployment of 2,500 MW of installed capacity.”

Tau.Neutrino said:

from the article

The news is frankly pretty amazing. Part 1 of the CSIRO report finds that in its current early form, a 1-MW UniWave unit already has an LCoE roughly competitive with running a diesel generator at a remote location. But applying an industry-wide “learning rate,” the report predicts that “the WSE technology can achieve an LCoE of AU$0.05 (US$0.032)/kWh, which is equal to the current lowest cost generation of onshore wind and solar, if it can reach a deployment of 2,500 MW of installed capacity.”

does the turbine only spin/generate power one way, or does it reverse and generate on the ‘inhale’ as well?

Tau.Neutrino said:

from the article

The news is frankly pretty amazing. Part 1 of the CSIRO report finds that in its current early form, a 1-MW UniWave unit already has an LCoE roughly competitive with running a diesel generator at a remote location. But applying an industry-wide “learning rate,” the report predicts that “the WSE technology can achieve an LCoE of AU$0.05 (US$0.032)/kWh, which is equal to the current lowest cost generation of onshore wind and solar, if it can reach a deployment of 2,500 MW of installed capacity.”

Yeah, but when they actually start building them they’ll find out they cost way more than they thought, and the average output is less.

The concept has been around for decades.

captain_spalding said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

from the article

The news is frankly pretty amazing. Part 1 of the CSIRO report finds that in its current early form, a 1-MW UniWave unit already has an LCoE roughly competitive with running a diesel generator at a remote location. But applying an industry-wide “learning rate,” the report predicts that “the WSE technology can achieve an LCoE of AU$0.05 (US$0.032)/kWh, which is equal to the current lowest cost generation of onshore wind and solar, if it can reach a deployment of 2,500 MW of installed capacity.”

does the turbine only spin/generate power one way, or does it reverse and generate on the ‘inhale’ as well?

It uses both.

I read the article.

Tau.Neutrino said:

captain_spalding said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

from the article

The news is frankly pretty amazing. Part 1 of the CSIRO report finds that in its current early form, a 1-MW UniWave unit already has an LCoE roughly competitive with running a diesel generator at a remote location. But applying an industry-wide “learning rate,” the report predicts that “the WSE technology can achieve an LCoE of AU$0.05 (US$0.032)/kWh, which is equal to the current lowest cost generation of onshore wind and solar, if it can reach a deployment of 2,500 MW of installed capacity.”

does the turbine only spin/generate power one way, or does it reverse and generate on the ‘inhale’ as well?

It uses both.

I read the article.

What’s the impact on marine ecosystems?

Video

Wave Swell Energy

WSE – King Island project

I just deleted a spurious comparison from the wave energy WP article. They were comparing the linear power density of wavepower to the areal densities of other renewables. I tried to find a ref for an estimate of areal power density of wavepower, could not, so just blanked it. Better nothing than misinformation.

Waves move a fair distance.

Would it be possible to have three of four in front of each other ?

Which beaches have the longest waves ?

Tau.Neutrino said:

Which beaches have the longest waves ?

Bear in mind these are waves for surfers:

https://www.mywavefinder.com/2020/04/19/the-worlds-9-longest-waves/

dv said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

captain_spalding said:

does the turbine only spin/generate power one way, or does it reverse and generate on the ‘inhale’ as well?

It uses both.

I read the article.

What’s the impact on marine ecosystems?

The blowfish aren’t thrilled.

Shifting ocean currents are pushing more and more heat into the Southern Hemisphere’s cooler waters

So warming oceans will create larger waves, yes ?

> We first encountered Wave Swell Energy (WSE) and the UniWave back in early 2021.

It’s been around for a lot longer than that, even longer than those giant three-bladed wind turbines if I remember correctly. Since the early 1980s?

And also, if I remember correctly, there was one of these installed in South Coast NSW, and one in Scotland.

The problem, it has to be small size. It can’t be scaled up to big size like other renewable energy systems. So it has less potential usefulness than floating wave energy systems. People can complain about it mucking up the appearance of the coastline, and it isn’t silent.

mollwollfumble said:

> We first encountered Wave Swell Energy (WSE) and the UniWave back in early 2021.

It’s been around for a lot longer than that, even longer than those giant three-bladed wind turbines if I remember correctly. Since the early 1980s?

And also, if I remember correctly, there was one of these installed in South Coast NSW, and one in Scotland.

The problem, it has to be small size. It can’t be scaled up to big size like other renewable energy systems. So it has less potential usefulness than floating wave energy systems. People can complain about it mucking up the appearance of the coastline, and it isn’t silent.

my primary concern was
how much moisture would be injected into the atmosphere
given that that too affects overall global temperature

Not much can be done about wave spray
but intentionally injecting spray into the atmosphere
of the amount required to produce wholesale energy is another matter

Ogmog said:

mollwollfumble said:

> We first encountered Wave Swell Energy (WSE) and the UniWave back in early 2021.

It’s been around for a lot longer than that, even longer than those giant three-bladed wind turbines if I remember correctly. Since the early 1980s?

And also, if I remember correctly, there was one of these installed in South Coast NSW, and one in Scotland.

The problem, it has to be small size. It can’t be scaled up to big size like other renewable energy systems. So it has less potential usefulness than floating wave energy systems. People can complain about it mucking up the appearance of the coastline, and it isn’t silent.

my primary concern was
how much moisture would be injected into the atmosphere
given that that too affects overall global temperature

Not much can be done about wave spray
but intentionally injecting spray into the atmosphere
of the amount required to produce wholesale energy is another matter

The hydro idea has been around a long time. Squirting it through smaller holes and keeping the water in a closed system while under the forces that may vapourise it, may be usable as small scale generators?

roughbarked said:

Ogmog said:

mollwollfumble said:

> We first encountered Wave Swell Energy (WSE) and the UniWave back in early 2021.

It’s been around for a lot longer than that, even longer than those giant three-bladed wind turbines if I remember correctly. Since the early 1980s?

And also, if I remember correctly, there was one of these installed in South Coast NSW, and one in Scotland.

The problem, it has to be small size. It can’t be scaled up to big size like other renewable energy systems. So it has less potential usefulness than floating wave energy systems. People can complain about it mucking up the appearance of the coastline, and it isn’t silent.

my primary concern was
how much moisture would be injected into the atmosphere
given that that too affects overall global temperature

Not much can be done about wave spray
but intentionally injecting spray into the atmosphere
of the amount required to produce wholesale energy is another matter

The hydro idea has been around a long time. Squirting it through smaller holes and keeping the water in a closed system while under the forces that may vapourise it, may be usable as small scale generators?

but “small scale” ain’t gonna put a dent in the problem we created

Ogmog said:

roughbarked said:

Ogmog said:

my primary concern was
how much moisture would be injected into the atmosphere
given that that too affects overall global temperature

Not much can be done about wave spray
but intentionally injecting spray into the atmosphere
of the amount required to produce wholesale energy is another matter

The hydro idea has been around a long time. Squirting it through smaller holes and keeping the water in a closed system while under the forces that may vapourise it, may be usable as small scale generators?

but “small scale” ain’t gonna put a dent in the problem we created

It would if it was inexpesive enough for each household to save on the big stuff.