Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and where there are great bodies of water, there could be great power. On the border between the US and Canada, there is an entire system of integrated freshwater lakes. This entire system is known as the Great Lakes, and contains 21% of the globe’s surface freshwater. Besides being a vital life source and a significant economic driver, engineers believe there are 575 GW beneath the Great Lakes, all thanks to its hidden currents.
The motion to renewable energy
Trends come and go, but when it comes to the environment, the eco-friendly trend is here to stay. At present, the world is gradually transitioning to renewable energies to meet one goal: Zero carbon emissions by 2050. Why? Because the burning of fossil fuels has gone on for too long, and the effects of climate change must be alleviated, if we want to continue living on planet Earth.
Typical renewable sources include solar, wind, and geothermal energy. However, these sources all face challenges of their own, with examples including requiring a large use of land, weather dependency, and noise and visual pollution. Thankfully, a team of engineers from the University of Minnesota-Duluth has discovered a new, untapped source of energy with extreme potential.
This energy source just goes with the flow
The engineers have been focusing on tapping into wave energy as a feasible alternative to other renewable energies. The massive body of water of interest for testing is the Great Lakes, as it offers a more ideal environment and has an existing marine infrastructure. The Minnesota shoreline of Lake Superior is of particular interest due to the presence of average wavelengths of 2 to 3 meters, indicating a considerable amount of potential energy.
According to the SASS Wire Forum, point absorbers were utilized to harness the wave energy, which can convert this energy to power by utilizing a linear or rotary generator. Another approach is pumping fluid with mechanical force and motion directly. After careful research, the engineers discovered that the Great Lakes have a potential energy of 575 GW. We smell a potential renewable energy revolution in the air.
According to Impactful Ninja, this untapped potential energy could power the US by supplying almost half of its energy demands. Tapping into wave energy could result in an uncharted territory that many will certainly rush to benefit from. Wave energy as a potential renewable source also has many advantages beyond its power.
A source that delivers so much more than just power
Traditionally, testing of wave energy has been mostly done in salt water, but it faced challenges due to the highly corrosive properties of salt. Thanks to the Great Lakes and their freshwater environment, corrosion concerns are a thing of the past, and Wave Energy Converters prototypes (such as the point absorbers) can be utilized to test this untapped source’s potential.
According to The World Economic Forum and Global Bioenergy Partnership, wave energy has numerous advantages to consider compared to other, more common renewable sources. These advantages include:
Higher energy density
Waves have a higher energy concentration, resulting in more power from a smaller carbon footprint
Environmental benefits
It produces zero greenhouse gases and pollutants
Has a smaller carbon footprint, as it doesn’t require extreme land use and it’s not visually polluting
Predictability and consistency
Waves are relatively predictable and consistent due to the moon’s gravitational pull’s influence and wind patterns
Wave energy as a potential renewable energy source may still be in the testing phase, but imagine the positive impact it will have on both the planet and mankind, as it is a clean, continuous source of power. Going with the flow has never looked this good.