Page 6 - Fundamentals of Ocean Renewable Energy Generating Electricity From The Sea

Preface

Around the time of the industrial revolution, there were less than one billion
humans living on Earth. Today the population is approaching eight billion. Such
an explosion in the global population has put a large strain on the Earth’s natural
resources. Coincident with this expansion, we have witnessed a continuous
improvement in human development: people are generally healthier and living
longer, are more knowledgeable, and have a higher standard of living than
they did at the beginning of the industrial revolution. Such an improvement
in the quality of life, and especially technological advancement, requires large
amounts of energy, particularly for electricity generation. Large-scale electrical
grid systems originated towards the end of the 20th century, and we have relied
on thermal power stations—power stations that generate electricity mostly from
the combustion of fossil fuels—since that time. However, with the depletion
of the Earth’s natural resources, and a recognition that this form of energy
conversion has led to increased concentrations of CO 2 in the atmosphere, and
hence the phenomenon of global warming, the world is turning away from fossil
fuels and towards more sustainable renewable energy sources for our insatiable
electricity demands.
The largest contributor to renewable energy conversion around the world is
presently hydropower, with both wind energy and solar energy rapidly gaining
popularity. However, one of the largest potential sources of energy conversion
surrounds us—the ocean. Covering 70% of the surface of the Earth, the ocean,
with tides driven by astronomical forces (Moon and Sun) in conjunction with
the Earth’s rotation, winds, and wind-generated waves (ultimately originating
in solar radiation), is a vast natural resource that could potentially meet all
of the world’s demand for electricity several times over. However, due to a
lack of proven and cost-effective marine renewable energy technologies, only
a tiny fraction of this potential has been realized, with the delivery of some
offshore wind farms, a few tidal energy and wave projects, and a limited
number of tidal range power plants. There is a strong appetite for ocean energy,
with many government-funded R&D and industrial commercial projects being
developed around the world, and it is very likely that we are on the cusp of
very rapid growth in the marine renewable energy sector. We therefore feel
that the time is right for this textbook, that integrates and conveys knowledge
across a wide range of ocean renewable energy topics, covering tidal energy,
offshore wind, and wave energy. The motivation for this book partly stems from
both authors, many collaborations with marine renewable energy developers,

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