"Anaconda" Could Provide up to 20 MW of Wave Energy

A device consisting of a giant rubber tube may hold the key to producing affordable electricity from the energy in sea waves. Invented in the UK, the "Anaconda" is a new wave-energy concept. Researchers working on the device say its simple design means it would be cheap to manufacture and maintain, possibly enabling it to produce clean electricity at lower cost than other types of wave energy converter. Cost has been a key barrier to deployment of such converters to date.

Named after the snake of the same name because of its long thin shape, the Anaconda is closed at both ends and filled completely with water. It is designed to be anchored just below the sea's surface, with one end facing the oncoming waves.