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Ocean Energy Could Reach 200 GW of Renewable Capacity by 2025

January 19, 2010 | 6 Comments

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Colorado, United States [HydroWorld.com] If ocean energy trial projects are successful in the next few years, the industry could represent a large source of renewable electricity, reaching up to 200 GW of installed generation capacity by 2025, according to a report by Pike Research.

Colorado-based Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets.

“The ocean energy business is right on the cusp,” says Pike Research Managing Director Clint Wheelock. “The industry is still in a proof-of-concept phase for several key technologies, and the outcome of early pilot projects will determine whether wave energy, tidal energy, and other technologies are ready for prime time.” Wheelock adds that more than 300 hydrokinetic projects are in the works around the world.

According to Pike Research’s scenario-based forecasting model for the ocean energy industry, technological success and the right regulatory environment could yield global power generation capacity of up to 200 GW by 2025.

However, if early projects have limited success, are too costly, or do not enjoy a favorable public policy regime, the marine renewable sector could be relegated to niche status, reaching no more than 25 GW in global capacity by 2025, research suggests.

Pike Research’s study, “Hydrokinetic and Ocean Energy”, assesses the market opportunity for five main types of marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies: ocean wave, tidal stream, river hydrokinetic, ocean current, and ocean thermal.

The report includes an examination of business drivers, regulatory issues, implementation challenges, and the competitive landscape, along with detailed market forecasts for each technology through 2025.

For more hydropower industry news and information, visit HydroWorld.com

PennWell's Hydro Group publishes Hydro Review and HRW-Hydro Review Worldwide. Hydro Review, the magazine of the North American hydro industry, offers practical, useful information, helpful examples, and constructive guidance from experts. Each issue has an average readership of more than 50,000. HRW's mission is to share practical, technical information and expertise on hydroelectric power to the international hydro community. The magazine has circulation of more than 10,000.

Hydropower, Ocean Energy

6 Reader Comments

Comment
1 of 6

StephenLacey

January 20, 2010

Somehow, I doubt that the industry could scale up that quickly....It might be in the single GW numbers, not the hundreds! This is a pretty darn optimistic report....

The only thing keeping many of the ocean energy companies alive right now is government money. Without it, many wouldn't be able to test their technologies....

Comment
2 of 6

Anonymous

January 21, 2010

Truly one of the greatest sources of potential energy! Obviously some technical and "to market" challenges, but well worth the effort.

This and the optimization of an "organic battery" will be the leaders in the "renewables" solutions

Comment
3 of 6

Anonymous

January 22, 2010

It is unfortunate that the report itself as well as the full Hydroworld.com story concerning it are premium content. This is a just a teaser ad for the paid content and I also find the predictions wildly optimistic. Even the 25 GW value the is discussed as a result if these technologies are "relegated to niche status" seems very high.
Steven

Comment
4 of 6

adrian-akau-36758

January 25, 2010

I don't "niche status" will be the final result of ocean unless we want to be recipients of the "Darwin Award". We are not that stupid. The first steam engine train was helped up a grade by horses, the first cars in England by law had to have someone walk in front waving a banner and the first plane only flew a few hundred feet. Yet, today, we enjoy the benefits of train travel, automobiles and air travel. I think the same will be true of ocean energy in the near future.

I like Pike, though they may not be right,
In ocean energy predictions,
Future goals, are out of sight,
Based upon present test constrictions.

A bit more R and D would pave the way
Moving through the red tape kelp,
Governments should see the light of day,
Giving this technology more help.

Comment
5 of 6

edward-wilhelm-75955

January 27, 2010

Ocean energy has been used for ages via sailing ships for global trade and transportation and fishing . Please do not put power wires into the ocean. . If someone is going to use wave power do it hydraulically with pipes going to land based generators. Not wires. The same with ocean wind..No wires. Here is where the problem will not be overcome.

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6 of 6

luis-puerto-134680

January 29, 2010

Huge investment for infrastructure will be needed. However it might be worth a while. I want to see how it evolves, although it is clear that without government funding or support it will be almost impossible.

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