Offshore Renewable Energy

Offshore renewable technologies hold the potential to satisfy a considerable amount of the global energy demand in the coming years. In this chapter, the main sources of renewable energy related to the oceans (waves, tides, and offshore winds) will be characterized and discussed, with reference to the challenges related to their use. Thus, the main devices capable of exploiting these resources will be presented. Their working principal, together with operational and technological requirements, will be described, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of each technology and providing examples of the past and current experiences. The elements of project management, as well as environmental impact and public perception, will be included. Finally, conclusions on the current viability of ocean energy devices will be drawn, together with guidelines for their future exploitation.