Recent advances in wave energy conversion systems: From wave theory to devices and control strategies

Harnessing energy from ocean waves, although not a new concept, is beginning to gain traction in the renewable energy research community. This largely untapped energy resource has considerable potential; however, researchers are still seeking to understand how to make it economically viable. This paper presents an overview of wave energy conversion as follows. It identifies various advantages of wave energy conversion as well as challenges that researchers and industry developers must overcome before large-scale installations can be fully realized. This paper also reviews the devices that have been designed to achieve efficient energy conversion. Multiple studies concerning wave energy converters placed in an array are reviewed and discussed, focusing specifically on consistent trends concerning array performance. The paper also reviews recent control methods for wave energy conversion.