Ecotricity, a green energy company, is developing a radical wave power device called Searaser which will harness the power of ocean swells to create electricity.

We’ve heard about the ‘Big Six’ energy companies, but how about the ‘Big Three’ renewable energy sources: wind, sun, and sea.

Until now harnessing the power of the sea has been the least reliable of the three, with intermittent results and high costs. But that could all change thanks to the Searaser and its engineer, Alvin Smith.

Alvin says Searaser can succeed where other attempts to harness the power of the sea have failed. "Most existing wave technologies seek to generate electricity in the sea itself," he said. 

"But as we know water and electricity don’t mix – and seawater is particularly corrosive – so most other devices are very expensive to manufacture and maintain. But Searaser doesn’t generate the electricity out at sea. It simply uses the motion of the ocean swell to pump seawater through an onshore generator."

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: "Marine Energy is a real priority for the coalition government. It’s great news that Ecotricity are now making waves in marine power with their plans for Searaser.

"The UK leads the world in developing marine energy technology and it’s vital that the sector continues to bring forward innovative new technologies."

Dale Vince, Ecotricity’s founder, plans to have a commercial scale Searaser in the sea within 12 months, and 200 Searaser units around the British coastline within five years.

Vince said: "The potential is enormous. This is a British invention that could transform the energy market not just here in Britain but around the world. Our plan is to develop the technology and make them here in Britain, bringing green jobs as well as green energy to our country."

[Image: cubanjunky]