Power Buoy: Energy Of Waves To Charge Underwater Robots

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and researchers from MBARI teamed by Andy Hamilton are co-working on the project ‘power buoy’ to harness wave power for electricity generation. The wave motion of the sea surface makes the buoy move as well, so the massive metal plate hanging down is added to keep the system relatively stable. In the buoy there is a hefty hydraulic cylinder with a piston inside, which is pushed by the waves. At the moment this occurs, the hydraulic fluid goes through a hydraulic motor, which generates electricity. This system demonstrates a 95 percent efficiency rate. Since its deployment at Monterey Bay the buoy generated 400 watts of power, with the next aim to get a steady current of 24 volts, and a goal to create an underwater robot charging station.
Via: ecofriend.com