Publications

Survey of Energy Resources Interim Update 2009

Wave Energy update

The global wave resource is extremely high and in recent years, the technology to harness it has, to some extent, moved from academia to commercial-scale installations. However, the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has enumerated approximately 100 wave energy concepts, with many of them still at the R&D stage. A considerable amount of time is still required for the technology to fully mature.

Prototype devices are being tested across the world but there are two countries which occupy the leading developmental positions: Portugal and the United Kingdom. In the case of Portugal, the country saw the world's first commercial wave power project become operational in late 2008. In the case of the UK, EMEC has become a centre of excellence and provides testing facilities for project developers. The UK has many coastal opportunities for wave energy installations and the Energy Act 2008, with its strengthening of the Renewables Obligation, will assist in the sector's development.

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