Offshore renewable technologies hold the potential to satisfy a considerable
amount of the global energy demand in the coming years. In this chapter, the
main sources of renewable energy related to the oceans (waves, tides, and offshore
winds) will be characterized and discussed, with reference to the challenges related
to their ...
Offshore renewable technologies hold the potential to satisfy a considerable
amount of the global energy demand in the coming years. In this chapter, the
main sources of renewable energy related to the oceans (waves, tides, and offshore
winds) will be characterized and discussed, with reference to the challenges related
to their use. Thus, the main devices capable of exploiting these resources will be
presented. Their working principal, together with operational and technological
requirements, will be described, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of each
technology and providing examples of the past and current experiences. The elements of project management, as well as environmental impact and public perception, will be included. Finally, conclusions on the current viability of ocean energy
devices will be drawn, together with guidelines for their future exploitation
