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Catching the Waves

THE ENDLESS ENERGY THAT EXISTS IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE SEAS COULD ONE DAY PROVIDE MANY OF US WITH A RENEWABLE SOURCE OF POWER.  LET’S CATCH A WAVE ON TODAY'S ENVIRONMINUTE.

MALCOLM SPAULDING IS AN OCEAN ENGINEER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND. HE'S BEEN DESIGNING A TYPE OF BUOY THAT HARNESSES, GENERATES, AND STORES WAVE-GENERATED ENERGY.

THERE ARE CONSTANT CHALLENGES IN THIS WORK - SUCH AS SMALL WAVES AND WEAK TIDES IN MANY PLACES - BUT SPAULDING IS HIGH ON THE POTENTIAL OF OCEAN ENERGY.

SPAULDING: THESE THINGS ARE CONTAMINANT OR POLLUTION FREE. SO THERE'S NOT A SMOKESTACK, OR A SCRUBBER NECESSARY... SO, REALLY LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

TIDAL ENERGY ALSO HOLDS PROMISE – ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT CAN BE HARNESSED IN RIVERS AND LAKES, TOO.  FOR EXAMPLE, TURBINES (tur-bins) ARE ALREADY CAPTURING THE CURRENTS IN NEW YORK’S EAST RIVER, AND THE ENERGY IS BEING USED TO POWER A PARKING GARAGE AND EVEN A SUPERMARKET!

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more about wave energy from the OCS Alternative Energy and Alternate Use Programmatic EIS.