Novel Approach to Ocean Wave Energy

Here’s an approach to extracting the energy from ocean waves whose inventor asks my opinion. I love looking at new ideas. Here goes:

Will this generate electricity? Certainly.

Will it provide a viable approach to solving the problem of cost-effective wave energy? I’m not an expert in hydrokinetics, but this design appears to me to contain the following drawbacks:

• Issues mooring it in the water. Since the water changes depths during the day, the float will need to slide and change heights with respect to whatever is holding it in place. Creating a low-cost reliable way to do that is going to be tricky.

• Transferring the kinetic energy to the generator. The design contemplates a chain that will be inefficient and face survivability issues. Most designs I’ve seen that go after this general method use a fluid that is compressed, the pressure of which is transferred to land.

• Protecting the electrical side. It’s unclear in video where the electronics go, but if they’re onshore, he’ll need a long chain. If they’re on the device, he’ll need some way to keep the water out and then transfer the power to shore.