The book, “Optimization and Energy Maximizing Control Systems for Wave Energy Converters”, presents eleven contributions on the latest scientific advancements of 2020-2021 in wave energy technology optimization and control, including holistic techno-economic optimization, inclusion of nonlinear effects, and real-time implementations of estimation and control algorithms.

This reprint delves into the forefront of research on optimizing and maximizing energy control systems for wave energy converters (WECs). It explores the significant advancements and challenges in the field, emphasizing the importance of control systems in enhancing energy efficiency and reducing costs. The compilation includes studies on hydraulic-based power take-off (PTO) systems, the integration of hydrodynamic and generator models, spectral-domain modeling, and innovative control strategies like model predictive control and reinforcement learning. Additionally, it addresses the critical aspects of robustness, stochastic modeling, and reliability-based design optimization. Leading experts share their insights, findings, and methodologies, offering a blend of theoretical perspectives and practical solutions. This reprint serves as an essential resource for researchers and technology developers, aiming to drive forward the commercialization and efficiency of WECs, ultimately contributing to the global shift towards sustainable and renewable energy sources.

The effects of human-caused global warming are obvious, requiring new strategies and approaches. The concept of business-as-usual is now no longer beneficial. Extraction of renewable energy in marine environments represents a viable solution and an important path for the future. These huge renewable energy resources in seas and oceans can be harvested, including wind, tide, and waves. Despite the initial difficulties related mostly to the elevated operational risks in the harsh marine environment, newly developed technologies are economically effective or promising. Simultaneously, many challenges remain to be faced. These are the main issues targeted by the present book, which is associated with the Special Issue of Energies Journal entitled “Renewable Energy in Marine Environment”. Papers on innovative technical developments, reviews, case studies, and analytics, as well as assessments, and papers from different disciplines that are relevant to the topic are included. From this perspective, we hope that the results presented are of interest to for scientists and those in related fields such as energy and marine environments, as well as for a wider audience.

With this self-contained and comprehensive text, students and researchers will gain a detailed understanding of the fundamental aspects of the hydrodynamic control of wave energy converters. Such control is necessary to maximise energy capture for a given device configuration and plays a major role in efforts to make wave energy economic. Covering a wide range of disciplines, the reader is taken from the mathematical and technical fundamentals, through the main pillars of wave energy hydrodynamic control, right through to state-of-the-art algorithms for hydrodynamic control. The various operating principles of wave energy converters are exposed and the unique aspects of the hydrodynamic control problem highlighted, with a variety of potential solutions discussed. Supporting material on wave forecasting and the interaction of the hydrodynamic control problem with other aspects of wave energy device optimisation, such as device geometry optimisation and optimal device array layout, is also provided.

Wave energy offers a promising renewable energy source, however, technologies converting wave energy into useful electricity face many design challenges. This guide presents numerical modelling and optimization methods for the development of wave energy converter technologies, from principles to applications. It covers the development status and perspectives of wave energy converter systems; the fundamental theories on wave power absorption; the modern wave energy converter concepts including oscillating bodies in single and multiple degree of freedom and oscillating water column technologies; and the relatively hitherto unexplored topic of wave energy harvesting farms. It can be used as a specialist student textbook as well as a reference book for the design of wave energy harvesting systems, across a broad range of disciplines, including renewable energy, marine engineering, infrastructure engineering, hydrodynamics, ocean science, and mechatronics engineering. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.routledge.com has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

The authors of this timely reference provide an updated and global view on ocean wave energy conversion – and they do so for wave energy developers as well as for students and professors. The book is orientated to the practical solutions that this new industry has found so far and the problems that any device needs to face. It describes the actual principles applied to machines that convert wave power to electricity and examines state-of-the-art modern systems.

The worldwide potential of electric power generation from marine tidal currents, waves, or offshore winds is enormous. The high load factor resulting from the fluid properties and the predictable resource characteristics make tidal and wave energy resources attractive and advantageous for power generation and advantageous when compared to other renewable energies. The technologies are just beginning to reach technical and economic viability to make them potential commercial power sources in the near future. While only a few small projects currently exist, the technology is advancing rapidly and has huge potential for generating bulk power. Moreover, international treaties related to climate control and dwindling fossil fuel resources have encouraged us to harness energy sustainably from such marine renewable sources. Several demonstrative projects have been scheduled to capture tidal and wave energies. A number of these projects have now reached a relatively mature stage and are close to completion. However, very little is known to the academic world about these technologies beyond the basics of their energy conversion principles. While research emphasis is more towards hydrodynamics and turbine design, very limited activities are witnessed in power conversion interface, control, and power quality aspects. Regarding this emerging and promising area of research, this book aims to present recent results, serving to promote successful marine renewable energies integration to the grid or to standalone microgrids.