A recent special report, Waves of Change, in the Time magazine gives hope for switching dependance on energy from fossil fuels to renewables. The report describes in detail the potential of waves of oceans generating abundant electric power; of tidal energy accounting for a ninth of UK’s electricity compared to just 3 per cent today.
The report also points to the successful operation of the Scottish company, Orbital Marine, providing power for eighth of the households in the neighbourhood. The report explains in simple terms the technology to convert the relentless rise and fall of tides to drive turbines at the sea surface.
Dr V S Raju from IIT-M and his team at the Ocean Engineering Department were experimenting precisely on this subject. They simulated a wave bed at the IIT and also did onsite experiment at Kanyakumari where wave activity was high.
There were great expectations on this project to harness renewable energy. With funding depleting, sadly the project was dropped.
It is, therefore, heartening to hear of IIT-M associated with a project being set up by an American company to harness wave power off the Vizhinjam coast in Kerala. With IIT-M vastly expanded and with handsome funds flowing for research, especially from its alumni, one can hope for this work receiving needed attention.
