Many different types of wave energy devices are being made and studied to determine which device design is best for a given area. Just like there are different water bottles for different uses and areas. For instance, if I am going for a walk in the winter, and I want to bring a hot beverage with me, I will take an insulated bottle because I want to keep my beverage hot when the weather is cold. However, if I’m going for a hike during the summer, a regular plastic water bottle is more ideal since it is lighter than an insulated bottle, and I am not concerned with keeping it at a certain temperature.

While the ocean is blue everywhere, it doesn’t act the same everywhere. In Oregon, storm after storm hit the coast during the fall and winter, making the winter ocean a hazardous place. This also means that a large amount of energy is available, but devices need to withstand the waves beating. However, other ocean areas might see more constant weaker waves, so devices there won’t necessarily need to be built with as much strength as deceives placed on the coast in the Pacific Northwest.

Here is an article published by the European Marine Energy Centre, which outlines wave energy devices’ major categories. Note: sometimes, this website takes a little while to load, but it is well worth the time.

Below is also an introduction to wave energy devices.