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Development of Oscillating Water Column and Wave Overtopping—Wave Energy Converters in Europe Over the Years

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Ocean Wave Energy Systems

Part of the book series: Ocean Engineering & Oceanography ((OEO,volume 14))

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Abstract

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2018 gave the clearest yet call for immediate action to reduce the amount of human-related activity CO2 emission. This fueled researchers to explore more sustainable ways of harvesting energy over the years, with ocean waves being one of the most attractive sources of renewable energy. This chapter will initially explore multiple ways of devices to harvest the energy from an ocean wave. The exploration then focuses on the development of Oscillating Water Column (OWC) type Wave Energy Converter (WEC), especially after the introduction of perforated vertical breakwater back in 1961 which open the possibility to combine both energy generation capability and coastal protection in the same structure. Examples of several projects which have been done in the past and are currently under construction in Europe will be given as an illustration of the current progression in the utilization of wave energy using OWC technology. Also, a Wave Overtopping Device—Wave Energy Converter will also be explored in a similar manner. A couple of representative project examples will also be given to similarly illustrate current progress on the development of such devices until now.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Prof. Tom Bruce from the University of Edinburgh for his guidance and suggestion during the writing of the OWC chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Quantum Wave Microscopy Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan

    Krisna Adi Pawitan

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  1. Krisna Adi Pawitan
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Correspondence to Krisna Adi Pawitan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Abdus Samad

  2. Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    S.A Sannasiraj

  3. Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    V Sundar

  4. Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University, Saga, Japan

    Paresh Halder

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Pawitan, K.A. (2022). Development of Oscillating Water Column and Wave Overtopping—Wave Energy Converters in Europe Over the Years. In: Samad, A., Sannasiraj, S., Sundar, V., Halder, P. (eds) Ocean Wave Energy Systems. Ocean Engineering & Oceanography, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78716-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78716-5_4

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-78716-5

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