Introduction to the Principles of Wave Energy Conversion

Oceanic wave energy is one of the most significant renewable energy resources because of its availability and high power density compared to the other sources. It covers around 70% of the total earth’s surface. In this chapter, principles of wave energy conversion are explained. Firstly, fundamentals of wave energy and motion of a particle in the ocean are depicted. It is supportive to understand the working principle of wave energy devices. Estimation of wave power and energy is illustrated mathematically which is useful for design and size selection of the wave energy converter. Recent wave energy projects around the globe are described in a separate section. From the study of various types of wave energy converters, it is found that point absorber type wave energy device with direct drive linear electrical generator is widely used for harvesting oceanic wave energy. Recent developments of the linear generator are summarized in a table at the end of this chapter.