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Seafloor Carpet Mimics Muddy Seabed To Harness Wave Power

Posted by samzenpus on from the waves-keep-coming dept.

Zothecula writes "Many organizations around the world are looking at ways to harness the power of waves as a renewable energy source, but none are covering quite the same ground as a team of engineers from the University of California (UC), Berkeley. The seafloor carpet, a system inspired by the wave absorbing abilities of a muddy seabed, has taken exploring the potential of wave power to some intriguing new depths."

20 comments

  1. Forstering habitat. by LaminatorX · · Score: 2

    I wonder what they could do with their structures as far as encouraging coral growth or providing spawning shelters? Clean energy is obviously the primary goal of the project, but anything building on the seafloor should hopefully take a look at the whole picture.

    1. Re:Forstering habitat. by AvitarX · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I would think carpeting the bottom of the ocean would be a disaster for marine life.

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    2. Re:Forstering habitat. by camperdave · · Score: 2

      I would think carpeting the bottom of the ocean would be a disaster for marine life.

      So... you think that hardwood flooring might be a better option? Or perhaps a nice ceramic tile, maybe in a nice faux-granite?

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    3. Re:Forstering habitat. by Newander · · Score: 1

      I've always thought that cork flooring was well suited to wet environments.

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    4. Re:Forstering habitat. by camperdave · · Score: 1

      Cork would be a bad option as it would always want to float to the top.

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      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    5. Re:Forstering habitat. by CreatureComfort · · Score: 1

      Actually, that could be a BRILLIANT idea. Wave power pushes it down, cork pops it back up, rinse, repeat.

      They could double their output.

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      Impossible means not yet done." ~~ Julia Ecklar
    6. Re:Forstering habitat. by radarskiy · · Score: 1

      It is easier for starfish to wear slippers than to carpet the ocean.

  2. Re:Southland here we come by Garridan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, the downside is that the muddy seafloor is chock full of life. The energy absorbed by that seafloor churns the mud, continually stirring around nutrients, plankton, eggs and sperm, algae, etc. A huge amount of sealife spawns in this mud -- stop churning it, and you kill everything there. And as these things usually go... killing a huge number of species tends to open a door to noxious, invasive, damaging monocultures.

  3. Re:Southland here we come by synaptik · · Score: 1

    ... And will slingshot the moon to higher and higher orbits.

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  4. Some other benefits by Mapleperson · · Score: 1

    This carpet would could be set up in areas of coastal erosion. The energy taken from the wave is not available to destroy the coast so it could be a win win for certain area of the world.

  5. Tired of "Green" bullshit by dadelbunts · · Score: 1

    Im tired of all these "Green" projects that turn a blind eye to environmental impacts. Just build some goddamn nuclear reactors. Do people really think carpeting the goddamn ocean floor, or building huge dams, wont affect the ecosystem?

    1. Re:Tired of "Green" bullshit by gregor-e · · Score: 1

      TFA says: "The researchers are considering whether the ever-growing number of nearshore “dead zones” – low-oxygen regions in the ocean with little marine life – would be strong candidates for pilot testing their system."

    2. Re:Tired of "Green" bullshit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You might have a point there. The Chornobyl and Fukushima nature reserves would never have been created without nuclear power. And only when permafrost thaws will we realize the amount of radioactive contamination in Siberia. Nuclear power is great for nature, just not that great for people.

  6. Make Life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The use of such devices in low oxygen dead zones might best be used to pump air into the water to make the dead zone a living habitat. Such a system does not have to be eco negative at all.

  7. Wello years ahead of Berkeley by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is already a Finnish company called Wello doing this and they are way ahead.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-26314698

  8. Does it match the drapes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just askin'