Harnessing energy from the waves of the world’s oceans seems like the ultimate in renewable fuel. With funding from the National Science Foundation, Electrical engineer Annette von Jouanne is leading efforts to capture wave energy, by creating simple, powerful devices that can withstand heavy winds, monster waves, and corrosive salt water. Oregon State University research now underway is based on ocean buoy generators. As ocean swells hit the buoy, electrical coils inside move through a magnetic field, inducing a voltage, and creating electricity.
