Pelamis–A Developing Concept in Wave Energy

I try to keep track of the major ways of extracting energy from ocean waves, one of the front runners of which is the Pelamis, a long, multi-segmented tube that changes shape, creating hydraulic pressure, as the waves pass beneath it. The device takes advantage of both the waves’ up/down and lateral motion, and, at its best, minimizes the amount of mass necessary to have distinct pieces that move separate from one another.

Can this stuff compete on a cost/watt basis as renewable energy matures?  Developers are bullish, but I’m not 100% convinced.   Success may lie in a hybrid solution that combines different methods of extracting that energy, one of which is listed as one of our renewable energy investment opportunities.