Filed under: alternative energy | Tags: alternative, power, renewable, technology, tidal, wave
Patent Vantage Point discloses a unique list of renewable energy companies, which is based on the results of patent search provided by Business DNA. Ltd.
The list forms a Techno-Market Domain, which help us grasp the state of business development in the domain. However, to elucidate what is really going on in the field requires an overview of the technologies, rather than the companies which own them. So, in this article, I would like to introduce a Technology Overview Map of Tidal/Wave Power Generation System. This would help (technically-oriented) people not only find a key technology in the field and opportunities for investments, but also pridict the rise and fall of the companies.
Shown below is the technology orverview map of tidal/wave power generation. Since this field is still premature and the tehcnology has just emerged from the experimental phase, the map is rather simple. The technologies in this field can be divided into 3 groups, Structure, Power Transformation and Power Transmission. Majority of the companies listed in Patent Vantage Point and Patent Landscape own technologies related to “Power Transformation”, especially,those utilizing oscillating motion or axial force. The companies include: Peramis, Ocen Power Technologies, Waveplane International, Swedish Seabased Energy, Wave Star Energy, etc. Many of these technologies are currently in the demonstration stage, and some of them are in the large-scale test phase.
(See for example Wave Hub Project )
In the UK, a unique project, called wave hub project, is in progress. In this project, the wave power generation system from three companies will be tested before going into commercial production. It is expected that the Hub will have potential to generate electricity for over 10,000 homes and create about 700 jobs by 2020.
