Conference article

Ocean power is a promising source of renewable and alternative energy used to fuel human activities. Generated energy from ocean power devices can be converted into electrical or mechanical energy; which can in turn be used as a driving force together with the desalination and water treatment by reverse osmosis processes. In this article; applications of high pressure wave energy converters (WEC) and hydrokinetic turbine for current energy conversion (TEC); described in Estefen et al; are presented. Due to its conceptual design; these ocean energy converters (OEC) are able to transform the hydraulic energy available from the sea into mechanical energy and then in turn into electricity generation; reverse osmosis desalination or as the driving force for hydraulic machines. A theoretical production estimation of wave and currents devices was conducted; which considered their performance from laboratorial tests associated to ocean parameters. Results are promising and indicate that it is indeed possible to supply domestic; industrial and agricultural demands of electricity and/or water; respecting the corresponding standards required.

Ocean power; Wave power; Current power; Desalination; Isolated communities