Ocean Waves Essay

In order to extract energy from ocean waves, one must first understand how waves are formed. Solar radiation from the sun is absorbed differently on the earth’s surface. The imbalanced heating of the earth’s surface causes the warm air to expand and rise, whereas the cool air sinks due to its higher density, thereby generating a pressure gradient. In order to return to an equilibrium state, the air from the high pressure zone has to replace the air in the low pressure zone. The movement of air from the high pressure region to the low pressure region is wind. In regions where the pressure gradient is more substantial, the stronger the wind.
Because wave is generated by the wind passing over the water surface, some factors that affect the formation of waves are considered. There are two factors that affect the growth of waves: pressure and shear effects. As wind travels across the ocean, small air pressure variations are formed over the surface due to the fluctuation in wind speed. The Bernoulli equation states that:
V^2/2+P/ρ+g∙h=Constant
As the wind increases in speed (V), a low pressure (P) is generated, and vice versa. The instability of the air pressure produces small ripples over the ocean surface. Next, the growth of waves are also …show more content…
In recent years, there is a global awareness for the need to reduce carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy is a solution to the greenhouse gas emissions. However, a study conducted in 2011 estimated that only 21% of the world electricity generation is from renewable energy (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2014). According to this data, the world is far from depending on renewable energy as its only source. When talking about renewable energy, solar, wind and hydro power generation come to mind, but there is another form of renewable energy that is usually forgotten: wave