Ocean Wave Energy

A friend asked for my views on ocean wave energy, which I sent along (see link above).

I wrote, “Some of them are more pessimistic than others.  In essence, there are still several different basic concepts, but none has any real chance of providing even a tiny fraction of the world’s energy.”

He mentions that a huge percentage of the Earth’s population lives within 100 miles of an ocean or sea, which is true, but the relevant factor (as always) is cost.  This puts such a low limit on the possible integration of ocean wave.

If you live in a community on an island in the Hebrides, you probably have a case to be made, because of the enormous costs of competitive solutions.  But if you live in Miami or Rome, there is no chance whatsoever that ocean wave will be competitive with any conceivable grid mix, regardless of how large a tax we put on carbon.