Early Beginnings:
We’ve come a long way since the company was incorporated by Phil Kithil in 2006. Initially, the idea was to use pumps that would take advantage of wave action and bring colder deep water towards the surface in an attempt to reduce the temperature of warm surface waters with the ultimate goal of reducing the strength of hurricanes, as described in this U-Tube video “Reducing hurricane intensity using arrays of Atmocean Inc.’s wave-driven upwelling pumps”. Although pilots proved successful, finding investors proved difficult. A measured side effect to these pilot pumps was bringing nutrient rich water to the nutrient poor surface. The system was redesigned as an up-welling system to bring nutrient rich water up into the photosynthetic zone, thereby promoting algae growth and carbon sequestration. Although the pumps once again proved to work and function as designed and described in this U-Tube Video “CO2 Ocean Recycling Using Wave-Driven Ocean Pumps”, it has been difficult to market a product that provides benefits on a global scale with less localized monetary returns in wake of the failed 2009 Copenhagen Climate Conference and inability of countries to realize a carbon trading program.
Waves into electricity:
Realizing that countries, businesses, and people need to see tangible economic results under current circumstances, Atmocean has since redesigned the ocean pumps to convert wave action into electricity and or fresh water, covered in “Episode 6″ of the mini series 9.3 sponsored by Whole Foods. In addition, the pumps still provide residual artificial up-welling as an additional ecological benefit to the areas they are deployed in. Benefits of this technology revolve around this invention’s simplicity in design and function. The product is therefore limited to fail and since the system acts on waves and sea water to create energy, there is no risk towards the environment that is often present regarding other sources of energy extraction such as oil, nuclear, and natural gas.
Our common future:
The truth is, we need solutions as a global community that take into account our current global energy needs and circumstances, while not putting our environment at risk. New energy sources will diversify our investment while promoting the local ecology in which they operate. We believe one of the answers to this difficult question is found here with Atmocean. In addition to solar and wind, Atmocean works to bring the globe a third form of renewable energy. With 70% of the world covered by water, Atmocean’s application of wave energy can be applied around the world, helping to solve one of our many challenges we face today.
