Researchers in the UK have invented a new device to harness the energy of waves in the ocean. The device is essentially a gigantic rubber tube, and has been dubbed the “Anaconda.”
The Anaconda will use the natural rocking motion of the sea to push water through turbines and generate electricity. Researchers are currently experimenting with prototypes of the device up to half a meter in diameter, but if the experiments prove successful, future “Anacondas” could be as much as 200 meters long and 7 meters or more in diameter. It is estimated that each Anaconda could deliver 1 MW of electrical power, enough to power a suburb or small-town with approximately 2000 homes.
According to ZDnet.com, if preliminary experiments are successful, the plan is to deploy groups of 20 or more of the devices at a time. Each Anaconda would sit at a depth of 40 to 100 meters, in order to derive the maximum power creation efficiency from the device.
The Anaconda devices themselves will be light-weight, and composed almost entirely of long-lasting rubber, to minimize maintenance and the chances of malfunction during use. The device was invented by Francis Farley, a physicist, and Rod Rainey, an oil and gas researcher. The project is being funded by the University of South Hampton, and it is expected to be tested out at sea next year.
Researchers warn, however, that even if all of the testing goes as planned, it could still be five years or more before the first full-scale Anaconda “farms” are deployed at sea. Eventually, the device’s creators estimate that Anacondas could produce 3 to 5 percent of the UK’s annual electricity. Some government estimates even conclude that up to 20% of the UK’s electricity could eventually be produced in this manner, though it will certainly take years or even decades to see that kind of development.
One of the biggest questions regarding the use of the devices is their impact on the ocean environment. So far, it is unknown whether vast “farms” of huge rubber tubes floating in the ocean would disrupt plant or animal life. It is certain however, that the devices will be deployed deep enough at sea so as not to interfere with ships and boats on the surface.
Assuming the environmental questions can be put to rest, the Anaconda looks like an exciting new development, which has the potential to produce a significant amount of clean “green” energy. While it certainly will not solve all of the West’s energy problems, it could be a significant step toward reducing dependency on fossil fuels.
