Wave Rider

Harnessing the power of water could save our environment.

Catching waves isn't just for beach bums anymore. The CEO of Ocean Power Technologies (OPT), George Taylor, is convinced that ocean waves will be the future of renewable energy.

A high-tech electrical engineer, Taylor started OPT and developed the PowerBuoy system. Taylor's PowerBuoy harnesses the up-and-down motion of the sea to create energy, which is then fed into a cable that brings the power to shore. Recently OPT has built a wave power station in Hawaii for the U.S. Navy. And in the near future, Taylor sees wave energy being used to produce all the hydrogen needed for a future full of fuel-cell cars. Wave energy plugs right into the current power grid and has Taylor convinced that it will be competitive with fossil fuels within a mere three to five years. With power like that, we may never look at surfing the same way again!