Officials power up revolutionary pilot project off US coast: 'We're just getting started'

Innovative energy experts see ocean waves as a giant, inexhaustible source of clean power generation. 

The Port of Los Angeles is poised to be the country's proving ground for technology that could electrify tens of thousands of homes, according to TechXplore and a news release from developer Eco Wave Power, based in Sweden and Israel. 

"We are opening the door to a new era of clean energy for California and for the world," company founder Inna Braverman said in the release. 

To capture the wave energy, Eco Wave Power has deployed a demonstration site of floaters that harness the water's movement, transforming it into electricity. If they are placed on an eight-mile stretch of coast — the eventual goal — the surf riders could power 60,000 homes, per TechXplore. 

That's just a drop in an ocean of potential, according to California and federal experts. The U.S. Department of Energy reported that if even a small percentage of the power in our seas and rivers is turned into electricity, it would provide energy for millions of Americans. 

The L.A. project is the nation's first onshore wave endeavor as part of work to meet California's clean energy goals. U.S. Rep. Nanette Díaz Barragán, from the Golden State, has also introduced an act that would provide $1 billion to boost similar projects around the country, according to Eco Wave Power's release. 

TechXplore added that dirty fuel giant Shell is funding half of the port pilot project, which is encouraging for a business with a long history of operations that have helped to warm the planet. Still, NPR reported in 2023 that Shell planned to continue heavily funding nonrenewable production despite clean-energy pledges. The company also noted on its website that $600 billion worth of oil and gas investment is needed annually for "decades to come" to account for depleting fields.

Scaled wave energy could help reduce reliance on dirty fuels. An image of the L.A. setup shared by TechXplore showed what looked like a lineup of buoys attached to a coastal dock structure, which was moving with the waves.

University of Washington faculty fellow Andrea Copping, an expert in renewable energy development, said in the story that this type of generation could be used in remote coastal towns in lieu of diesel. 

"We consider every successful deployment an important milestone," Copping added. 

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Our world's warming is a health detriment to 99% of the population, according to the World Health Organization. The warmup — about 2 degrees total since 1850 — is causing increased chances for severe droughts that are even impacting grocery prices. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA compiled the temperature data and risk assessments.

In the near term, solar and onshore wind are the cheapest and fastest energy sources to develop, Reuters reported. Companies, including Meta, have invested in solar power to offset their growing data center electricity demand. 

Solar is also one of the best ways for homeowners to lower their utility bills. EnergySage is a free resource that can help you compare quotes, find an installer, and secure still-applicable tax rebates that expire on Dec. 31. The advice can save you up to $10,000 if you act before then. 

On the breakwater, Eco Wave Power is working in Taiwan, India, and Portugal. Company officials are looking to secure a site in New Jersey, where state policy is friendly to the energy source. Cost is a factor, and subsidies would help with project development, all according to experts in TechXplore's report. 

Braverman added that L.A. is only the beginning. 

"We're just getting started," the Eco Wave Power founder said in the release.

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