Cleaning BC: The Role of Wave Supplied Power in a Low‐Carbon Energy System
Brad Buckham
The Living Without Oil Series: An Elder Academy Event
Saturday, February 29
10:00am‐ 12:00pm
David Turpin Building, Room A110
As a renewable energy technology, wave energy converters (WECs) suffer a unique dichotomy: wave energy is accepted as a vast untapped natural energy supply with some competitive advantages, but they remain an undervalued technology when compared to land‐based renewable options. In BC, development of wave energy resources is hindered by a saturated energy market and cost‐of‐energy constraints that apply to any new generation capacity. However, there are a large number of communities that remain reliant on diesel fueled energy generation and there is a push at all levels of government to mitigate diesel consumption at these locations. For many of these communities, wave supplied power is the predominant renewable resource and presents the best opportunity to eliminate diesel consumption– provided the technology can be operated without undue risk.
This presentation describes recent developments in WEC design and control, the state of new international standards for the WEC industry and how these efforts can serve BC communities. Dr. Buckham is a Professor in the Department of of Mechanical Engineering and a member of IESVic at the University of Victoria. Specializing in offshore mechanics, he directs the West Coast Wave Initiative (WCWI) and co‐directs the Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED). WCWI research focuses on wave energy resource assessment, wave energy converter technology, and developing GIS‐based methods for identifying strategic wave energy sites. PRIMED assists BC coastal communities and marine energy technology developers in planning mutually beneficial marine energy demonstration projects.
To register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/oil-part-one-tickets-85417396733
Students may register for free by emailing uvraevents@uvic.ca
Presented in partnership with IESVic
