A mammoth rogue wave off Ucluelet鈥檚 coast has brought dreams of wielding the ocean鈥檚 power as an alternative energy source crashing back into the spotlight.
The 17.6 metre rogue wave was recorded off Amphitrite Bank near Ucuelet in November 2020 by MarineLabs Data Systems, which believes it is the 鈥渕ost extreme rogue wave ever recorded.鈥�
The wave came to light as the subject of a
鈥淧roportionally, the Ucluelet wave is likely the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded,鈥� Gemmrich said through a media release. 鈥淥nly a few rogue waves in high sea states have been observed directly, and nothing of this magnitude. The probability of such an event occurring is once in 1,300 years.鈥�
It was recorded by one of 26 sensor buoys MarineLabs has installed across North America as part of the company鈥檚 CoastAware platform, according to the release.
鈥淭he unpredictability of rogue waves, and the sheer power of these 鈥榳alls of water鈥� can make them incredibly dangerous to marine operations and the public,鈥� said MarineLabs CEO Dr. Scott Beatty. 鈥淭he potential of predicting rogue waves remains an open question, but our data is helping to better understand when, where and how rogue waves form, and the risks that they pose.鈥�
MarineLabs plans to more than double its CoastAware program this year and expects to have over 70 sensor buoys in place by the end of 2022.
鈥淲e are aiming to improve safety and decision-making for marine operations and coastal communities through widespread measurement of the world鈥檚 coastlines,鈥� Beatty said.
鈥淐apturing this once-in-a-millennium wave, right in our backyard, is a thrilling indicator of the power of coastal intelligence to transform marine safety.鈥�
Geoff Lyons, who served as Ucluelet鈥檚 CAO from 2002-2009 and as a municipal councillor from 2011-2014, has and hopes the rogue wave report renews local interest in the potential power supply.
Congrats to ! We are excited to be providing super high resolution real-time data for their Ocean Wave Energy project.
鈥� MarineLabs (@MarineLabs_hq)
Lyons recalled BC Hydro looking into the feasibility of wave energy in Ucluelet in 2000, but suggested Hydro鈥檚 focus was heavily committed to establishing its Site C dam at the time.
鈥淭hey changed their mind and decided they were focusing on Site C, so we lost the ability for Hydro to subsidize this, but we were so excited we decided to try to get someone to come in independently,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e were promoting Ucluelet as the wave energy capital of Canada鈥he Bay of Fundy has got it鈥檚 tides, but we鈥檝e got waves that could generate electricity.鈥�
He said Carnegie Energy representatives came to Ucluelet to test the wave strength, but decided to pursue an opportunity in Australia instead.
鈥淭hey had a device which was basically anchored to the seabed and floating around slightly submerged and it went up and down on a hydraulic cylinder basis and produced energy going up and going down,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was an area about the size of two soccer fields, which would generate two to three kilowatts, which I think would be enough to suffice for Ucluelet and then there鈥檚 the option of putting in more and then backfeeding into the BC Hydro system so that we could sell it.鈥�
He said wave technology has made 鈥済reat leaps鈥� since then and that University of Victoria researchers have installed several buoys in local waters to monitor the energy potential, but investors and sufficient government support have been tough to attract.
鈥淲e just couldn鈥檛 get any traction from people,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t the moment, we can鈥檛 find a proponent to come in and test it.鈥�
He hopes Ucluelet鈥檚 municipal council will lobby for more opportunities to develop wave energy.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to think that it could be back on the table as a completely viable source. It鈥檚 far more reliable than solar or wind because the waves keep coming, they don鈥檛 take quiet days and they don鈥檛 go away when the sun sets,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would be a great opportunity for Ucluelet鈥 honestly believe it鈥檚 something that Ucluelet should seriously pursue and I鈥檓 quite happy to donate my free time to help anybody who wants to do it. I fought for 20 years and we did that; I鈥檇 like to see a wave energy project happen as well.鈥�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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