The challenge for the development of marine energy converters (MECs) is to achieve an investment cost and rate of return that will make them viable, compared to other sources of electrical power. While the energy resource is of reasonable density, it is intermittent and MECs do not operate at fully rated power most of the time, despite being exposed to the resource 24 h a day, 7 days a week. Before we can address, in detail, the challenge that this presents, we must first have an overview of the wave and tidal developments to date.

Chapter Contents:

• 1.1 Introduction
• 1.2 World wave resource
• 1.3 World tidal resource
• 1.4 Influence of the weather
• 1.5 Wave power development
• 1.5.1 Device development
• 1.5.2 Wave device categorisation
• 1.6 Tidal power development
• 1.6.1 Device development
• 1.6.2 Tidal device categorisation
• 1.7 MEC device learning or experience curves
• 1.8 Current world wave and tidal developments
• 1.8.1 Europe
• 1.8.2 The Americas
• 1.8.3 Asia
• 1.8.4 Oceania
• 1.9 Wave and tidal power economic terminology
• 1.9.1 Terminology
• 1.9.2 Cost of installation
• 1.9.3 Cost of energy
• 1.9.4 O& M costs
• 1.9.5 Effect of reliability, availability and maintenance on CoE
• 1.10 Roles
• 1.10.1 General
• 1.10.2 Innovators
• 1.10.3 Governments
• 1.10.4 Regulators
• 1.10.5 Investors
• 1.10.6 Certifiers and insurers
• 1.10.7 Developers
• 1.10.8 Original equipment manufacturers
• 1.10.9 Test facilities
• 1.10.10 Operators and asset managers
• 1.10.11 Maintainers
• 1.11 Summary

Inspec keywords: power convertors; wave power plants; tidal power stations

Other keywords: MECs; energy resource; electrical power sources; time 24 h; rate of return; wave development; time 7 day; marine energy converters; tidal development; investment cost

Subjects: Wave power; Tidal power stations and plants; Power convertors and power supplies to apparatus