Triton Renewable Energy Limited has teamed up with Renewable Energy Holdings to develop an underwater wave farm off the shores of the island of Bermuda. Now, I’ve talked about wave power many times and I’ve even mentioned offshore wind farms as well.
One of the largest objections by environmentalists to wave farms has been the unsightly buoys bobbing up and down in the ocean (the same goes for offshore wind turbines as well). Triton is addressing this “not in my backyard” phenomenon of renewable rejection by placing the buoys underwater so that they are out of sight and out of mind.
The Triton wave farm would be anchored to the ocean floor in approximately 100 feet of water at a depth where they would not be a hazard to boats, ships or sea life. The CETO pumps on the buoys are made of plastic, rubber, concrete and steel and would resist deterioration.
The wave farm would consist of many buoys (and buoys will be buoys) bobbing up and down, churning pistons, which will in turn pump sea water ashore where the pressurized liquid will be converted to mechanical and then electrical energy.
In an island scare of many resources, where oil and food have to brought in by ship captains brave enough to forge through the Bermuda Triangle, renewable energy in the form of wave power makes sense. Wind and solar power were also considered by Triton but wave energy is more reliable, efficient and will provide more energy output for this tiny Atlantic tourist destination and financial center.
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