These power-generating buoys might have just made wave energy viable

Ocean waves could be an enormous source of power for the grid: in the U.S., the motion of waves along coastlines could generate as much as 1.4 trillion kilowatt-hours a year, or around a third of the electricity that Americans currently use.

But wave power lags far behind other renewable energy. While solar and wind dominate new power installations worldwide, wave energy remains confined to small pilot projects. This makes sense: It’s more expensive to build. And harsh ocean conditions make equipment vulnerable to damage in storms.

But in Morocco, one startup is pioneering new technology that could make wave energy more viable, with projects now moving forward at a port and a future data center.

“Compared to other wave energy systems, the initial cost is reduced by 70%,” says Oussama No