Portugal Launches World’s First Wave-Power Project

The world’s first commercial wave-driven power station has opened off the coast of Portugal, generating enough electricity for about 1,500 homes. Three snake-like red tubes, each about 466 feet long, float in the sea 3 miles off Portugal’s northern coast. Each cylinder has four jointed sections, allowing it to bend and move with the waves. Hydraulic rams use that motion to generate electricity, which travels to shore via an undersea cable. At its peak, the project will produce 2.25 megawatts of power; expansion plans call for another 25 wave converters, which will generate up to 21 megawatts. Portugal is investing heavily in renewable energy: It has the world’s biggest wind farm and is building the largest solar installation, expected to supply 45 megawatts annually. Portugal’s economics minister predicts the country will derive 31 percent of its primary energy from clean sources by 2020.