The energy of sea waves

In every word in the Qur'an there is a miracle, in this article we will study the word "exploited "which means offering a service for no return,…

n the Qur'an there are many signs for many discoveries but first we have to think and concentrate in words of Allah, as He almighty had exploited and offered us many services for no return such as: the sun which offers heat, light and recently the generation of electric energy.

Also Allah had exploited the sea with its different blessings as one of these blessings is to get free benefits from the surface waves and the internal waves of the seas.

From where do these waves come?

Because of the difference in temperature on earth, we find differences in pressure and density from point to another as these differences cause the winds. These winds cause the movement of water on the surface of seas to form waves which moves toward the shore, one advantage of these waves is carrying amount of kinetic energy during its movement from middle of the sea to the shore.

Energy of the surface waves

Today, scientists of energy get benefits from sea waves, as they put special tools on the surface of water, when the waves start to raise and drop these tools, a mechanical motion is generated which produce an electric energy, this energy can be transformed through wires to get benefits from it. [1]

In 1799 monsieur Girard, a French man and his son were the first people to use waves to generate energy.

The energy from currents in oceans

Oceans cover more than 70% of the earth's surface, making them the world's largest solar collectors, so that oceans are considered to be the largest power house on earth. But, what is ocean current energy?

The massive oceanic surface currents of the world are untapped reservoirs of energy. Their total energy flux has been estimated at 2.8 ¥ 1014 (280 trillion) watt-hours. Because of their link to winds and surface heating processes, the ocean currents are considered as indirect sources of solar energy.

These currents exist under the sea surface as there are currents till the deepest point in the sea. [9].

One of the primary advantages of this technology is the energy density. While solar and wind systems are well-suited for remote off grid locations, ocean energy is ideal for large-scale developments in the multiple gigawatt range. Sea water is 832 times as dense as air, providing a 5 knot ocean current with more kinetic energy than a 350 km/h wind.

According to Devon Girard (an expert with Blue Energy and ocean energy developer) the blue energy Power System acts as a series of underwater windmills exposed to daily hurricane forces. The tremendous volume and density of ocean currents allows that technology to satisfy large electricity demands efficiently. Ocean currents are one of the largest untapped renewable energy resources on the planet. Preliminary surveys show a global potential of over 450,000 MW, representing a market of more than US$550 billion.

Here, we have to mention that the Qur'an had preceded scientists to talk about the deep currents in seas which the Qur'an called "waves", God says: (Or [the state of a disbeliever] is like the darkness in a vast deep sea, overwhelmed with waves topped by waves, topped by dark clouds, (layers of) darkness upon darkness: if a man stretches out his hand, he can hard see it! And he for whom Allah has not appointed light, for him there is no light.)(Sûrat an-Nûr - verse 40).

The blue energy

Blue energy is the retrieved energy from the difference in salt concentration between seawater and river water. This byproduct is the result of natural forces that are being harnessed: the flow of fresh water into seas that are made up of salt water. That energy can be used in electric generating. [10], God says: (He has made rivers (also) to be of service to you) (Sûrat Ibrâhîm- verse 32).

Also, Allah almighty says: (Allah, it is He who has subjected to you the sea, that ships may sail through it by His Command, and that you may seek of His Bounty, and that you may be thankful.)(Sûrat Al-Jâthiyah- verse 12), in this verse there is a nice sign that Allah had subjected the sea for us to get benefits from it.

Hence today, we find the scientists are working to generate electric energy from sea waves, offshore wind and inner currents [11].

After all of the above we have to say: (Glory to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts)* and verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!) (Sûrat Az-Zukhruf- verse 13-14).