Engineering Consultants Ride New Wave

by: dominicdonaldson
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Word Count: 580

The move towards utilising more sustainable sources for energy means that engineering consultants have to provide information on groundbreaking technologies in the energy industry. The latest development in harnessing energy from sustainable sources comes from a wave power generator. It is claimed that the rubber 'snake' could cut the cost of providing renewable energy to the UK in just a few years; we take a look at what might make engineering consultants recommend this new technology. It is necessary to understand why harnessing wave power using synthetic sea snakes is such a good idea in the first place. The technology behind the new device is surprisingly simple and because it has very few moving parts it is incredibly simple to maintain. The biggest downfall of past prototypes was the tendency to deteriorate quickly in the harsh ocean environment. This is where the new device can cut costs considerably. The simple construction also means that there are fewer parts to manufacture, making the overall emissions total even lower. The product that harnesses wave power is made from a composite of rubber and fabric and is anchored to the sea floor facing into the waves. Because it lies below the water line, it is possible to have a farm of these snakes without causing a blot on the landscape, which is a major obstacle to offshore wind farms. As the water moves, it causes the device to undulate with the motion of the waves which in turn drives a turbine at the other end. One thing to be said for this type of technology is that it is making use of one of the most reliable sources of power. Not only will using full scale versions of the device reduce costs for providing renewable energy; it will also help cut emissions to meet EU targets. The UK has promised to produce at least fifteen per cent of the country's energy from sustainable sources by 2020 and the EU has pledged to reduce emissions to below 1995 levels by 2010. Engineering consultants are going to be hard pressed to find energy from another sustainable source that will help meet such targets. Other options include harnessing wind and solar power to produce energy for homes across the UK. This can either be done on a countrywide scale by existing energy companies or by property owners installing personal wind turbines and solar panels. Although there are Government incentives in place to help property owners gain planning permission and to access funding, there have still be a number of obstacles on a local level. This has mainly been due to opposition from neighbours who deem such facilities as being a blot on the landscape. It seems that many people think that the implementation of recommendations by engineering consultants is a good idea, as long as it is not on their own doorstep. This is where harnessing wave power under the water level could triumph, providing it is cost effective. The new technology has so far managed to cut the cost of electricity produced through other marine based generators by around sixteen pence per kilowatt, but this may not be enough to bring it into commercial production just yet. Unfortunately, it is still not able to generate electricity as cheaply as the electricity available through fossil fuel powered power stations. The deciding factor is likely to depend on the environmental costs we are prepared to pay rather than the economics involved.

About the Author

Dom Donaldson is an environmental expert. Find out more about Engineering Consultants at http://www.urscorp.eu

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