Now that our oil supply seems to have reached its limits, and prices are running up accordingly, I stumbled on this project that seems very promising: electric energy generated by sea waves. Unit produces desalinated fresh water at the same time

http://www.energetech.com.au/index.htm?http://www.energetech.com.au/content/port.html

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2011 Prius

I remeber reading about this technology, oh 35 years ago. Popular Science had at least one cover story about it. It seemed like a good idea, then. I have often wondered where was the application of what seemed like a very good idea.

I'd like to see coastal states with large tidal amplitudes get into it. Most of the Gulf coast has tidal amplitudes under 2ft. Wont work here.

B

You could make up for that between August and November...?

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-Marty

1986 300E 220,000 miles+ transmission impossible
(Now waiting under a bridge in order to become one)

Reading your M103 duty cycle:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831799-post13.html
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/831807-post14.html

Oh yeah, talk about free energy. How'd ya like to be on that wave station?

Wha-hoooooo!!!

System basically works by the same principle as hydro dams. It would benefit coastal areas primarily, but there's a lot of sea coast on this planet... And the desalination function makes it particularly attractive for Third World regions, I'd say. Wouldn't even mind a couple of miles of these systems along our coast here: tidal movements in the North Sea are really big.

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2011 Prius

Also following the first energy crunch was a proposal to make use of the salinity and temp gradient between shallow and deep ocean. As I recall it was supposed to draw electricity from the redox potential. It required a huge depth, like off the Hawai'ian islands.

And I'm sure most of New England will adopt a "Not in my Ocean" policy.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

That's what I was thinking, too. I can imagine the east and west coasts balking at cluttering their ocean views with concrete and steel structures. It's okay for the little people in the South to clutter their beaches, but NIMBY!

Vron,

We must read all the same things! Hehe.

Naturally this would work great... but... well, you know what I'm going to say, so I'm not going to say it.

NIMBY! Hehe (I haven't heard that since I had to deal with a town wanting to increase use of a private park!)

(Not In My Back Yard for folks scratching their head like I did the first time I saw it!)

I'm one of the few in that situation and I support the windmills and this type of project 100%!

But, I know I'm a rare bird...

well seems like a green idea.. just wait... the extreme greenies will be like.. your causing sand erosion sea grass flats will be destroyed.. fish spawning.. yadda yadda yadda.. ive got the solution to their problems and its only 15 cents each person

Don't worry, we won't run out of oil anytime soon. In 1945 the goverment predicted we had 10 years left....

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MB-less

Maybe not very soon, but I don't think the prices will come down anymore. Still, we have to start thinking seriously about alternative energies for our kids. Nuclear energy relies on plutonium and that resource is limited aswell, and the waste problem ain't solved yet either. The net gain of hydrogen, windmills and solar energy is still negative, so that's not the answer aswell. Coal and natural gas seem plenty around aswell, but that will heat up the planet. With China and India joining us as energy massconsumers, I'd say the end of oil is more sooner than later. Time to act.

OTOH: MB's run even better on methanol that's made from sugar cane, so at least that's one huge concern less...

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2011 Prius

There's a pretty cool lunar energy plant on the north coast of France. Dam across the mouth of a large bay. Open dam. Tide floods in. Close gates. Tide goes out. Open turbine gates and generate electricity until tide turns. Open gates again. Had a lock to permit entry/exit into the bay.
I really wanted to go inside the dam and witness the whole process when I was there a couple of years ago, but due to terrorist concerns, the tours had been cancelled.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13