Harnessing the Power of the Ocean to Decarbonize Our Energy Grid
Wave-generated electricity offers new possibilities for renewable energy
Wind and solar are good sources of green energy, but the sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. Experts estimate that wind and solar together can only meet 50-60% of our energy needs. Ocean waves, on the other hand, never stop, and can be a key source of zero-carbon energy, especially for coastal communities—if we can tap their potential. The fully submerged wave-based power system designed by Marcus Lehmann and his team at CalWave is based on a process that is similar to an electric vehicle charging its battery when traversing downhill terrain. It won second place for the 2016 U.S. Department of Energy’s Wave Energy Prize, and they’ve spent the last few years engineering, testing, and building a unit which is now ready to be deployed off the coast of San Diego. Ultimately, CalWave wants to bring these units to developing island states all over the world who still import and burn diesel or heavy bunker fuel as their primary source of energy. Providing access to a constant supply of clean power—and energy independence to these communities that are home to one out of ten people on Earth—is an important way to help tackle the challenge of climate change.
About the speaker
Marcus Lehmann is the co-founder and CEO of CalWave, which was founded in 2014 to unlock the vast and steady carbon-free power from ocean waves worldwide. In 2016, CalWave was awarded second place for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wave Energy Prize. The company is currently conducting an open ocean pilot test. Dr. Lehmann holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Hamburg University of Technology.
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