The Wave Generator
As the world continues to face the challenge of combating the global warming crisis, the need for clever renewable energy solutions is more pressing than ever. Currently, 85 percent of global production is generated by non-renewable sources. If the world continues to neglect finding renewable solutions, there will be catastrophic consequences such as sea level rise, natural disasters, extreme heat, and more. In order to save our future, we need to explore every potential way to reduce our harm on our planet.
One source of energy that has been explored only to a limited extent is the power in our oceans. Because water is 830 times denser than air, the energy that can be extracted from waves could be groundbreaking. However, due to the harsh environment of the ocean and the corrosive nature of salt water, there has not been nearly as much focus on wave energy as on other renewable options. Specifically, at a private scale, there seem to be no options for someone who wants to harness wave energy in the same way that some homeowners may install solar panels on their roofs. Eventually, I aim to create a product that would meet this need. This wave generator could be installed on water docks, research devices, or used for recreational purposes such as fishing adventures. Because there are many challenges that need to be addressed in creating a product like this, for my 2026 i2 project, I will strictly focus on the testing and research phase of this project.
For this year’s i2 showcase, I created a tank that generates artificial waves, allowing me to test a variety of prototype ideas. I tested ideas ranging from using piezoelectricity to air turbines. For example, my most successful design mimics a concept used by a leader in wave energy called “Wave SWELL,” who created a design called an oscillating water column. I created a miniature OWC proof of concept that uses the rising and falling of water in an enclosed chamber to compress air, which spins a turbine. Overall, in the last few months of experimenting, I have learned a lot about generators and wave energy, and I hope to keep refining my design into something that could be tested in an ocean environment.
