The world’s first commercial power plant that converts the energy of sea waves into electricity has begun operation off Portugal’s north coast.
The Agucadoura project will initially generate power using three Pelamis wave energy converters, which are a semi-submerged, articulated structures composed of cylindrical sections linked by hinged joints. Described as articulated steel ’sea-snakes’, they are moored to the seabed 7 km off the coast south of Porto.
The three PWEC are currently pumping 2.25 MegaWatts of electricity into the country’s national grid, making Portugal the first country in the world to harness wave energy on a commercial basis.
http://www.nextenergynews.com/news08-2/next-energy-news9.25.08d.html
