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Safety Concerns for Wave Energy Systems

Ocean waves can supply 13 percent of the electricity demand worldwide. This projection is based on harnessing just 1 percent to 2 percent of the global wave energy, according to an article titled "Wave Energy" in the December 2005 "Discovery" magazine. A Portuguese group has launched the first step of a "commercial wave farm," called the Pelamis off Portugal's coastline. Placing 40 of the wave devices can power 20 thousand homes. Wave energy is an emerging clean energy source; however, there are some safety considerations.

  1. Marine Life Impact

    • Coastal environments may be impacted by wave energy devices.

      Wave energy raises concerns about fisheries and ecosystem health. At a commercial scale, wave or tidal energy facilities will cover large areas. Fishing areas may be disturbed by the wave devices. Each wave machine is anchored and has cables to transport the converted power. The safety concern for marine life is damage to ecosystems. Reefs and salt marshes are sensitive to environmental factors and small changes to the silt and sand may pose safety issues for sea creatures in the area. Another concern is for organisms that are sensitive to electrical magnetic energy fields very close to the undersea cables.

    Toxic Chemicals

    • Each wave unit does contain hydraulic fluid that could release into the water and impact the ecosystem. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior Mineral Management Service, nontoxic fluids can be used. Monitoring programs and "secondary containment designs" will minimize any potential chemical spill concerns. Another potential toxic consideration is the use of biocides, which are chemicals used to stop marine organism growth. Wave technology is still being developed and these safety concerns are based on potential safety issues, not on actual incidents.

    Shipping Lanes Safety

    • Placement of wave devices is a safety concern for boat traffic, such as fishing and recreational boating. Also, for wave devices set further out in the water, they could interfere with shipping lanes. To address this safety concern, wave devices will be required to have warning equipment, such as signals, radar, reflectors and lights.

    Installation and Decommissioning

    • When installing a wave device or removing an old one, marine ecosystems may be impacted. Placing cables attached to the wave device disturbs the ocean floor and the entire ecosystem. When a wave device is no longer operational and is removed, the process disturbs marine life that has adapted to the device. For example, birds might nest on the portion of the device that is above water and they would lose their nesting ground.

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