Scientists, cadets try to harness wave power (xpost from Veterans)

[unhappycamper]

Scientists, cadets try to harness wave power
By Patrick Winn - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jan 17, 2008 7:01:07 EST

Growing dread over America’s oil addiction has redoubled interest in solar panel farms, windmills and even bio-fuel alternatives to foreign petroleum.

Now, a small team of scientists and Air Force Academy cadets are attempting to unlock power from an endless energy source: deep-sea waves.

The academy’s Aeronautics Research Center is designing, on a small scale, submerged platforms fitted with so-called “underwater windmills.” The implications are enormous.

Replicated on a large scale, researchers believe these offshore units could harness waves — up to 25 times more energy-rich than wind — to power seaside cities. From ocean’s surface, these underwater generators would be visible only as buoys warding off passing ships.

Although the scientific community’s foray into ocean energy has been light so far, producing power from waves “could be a whole industry unto itself,” said Thomas McLaughlin, head of the academy’s aeronautics research center. With fellow researcher Stefan Siegel, he’s pushing a small class of cadets to improve the generator’s design.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/01/airforce_wave_power_080117w/