BENJAMIN - JUNIOR

In response to current needs around environmental protection as a result of global warming, Benjamin is studying wave energy converters and their impact on the world’s ecosystems. With this knowledge, Ben plans to design and create a prototype of a kinetic energy converter that turns the kinetic energy of ocean waves into electrical energy. He will be evaluating location, wave conditions, and environmental impact with the goal of understanding and improving the gaps in current converters. Ben said, “The global warming crisis is becoming ever more pertinent and we need more efficient forms of clean energy. I've long thought that preserving the environment is of the utmost importance. Without it, we wouldn't have a safe home.” In his free time, Ben likes to visit local restaurants and play basketball with friends. Ben plans to become a mechanical or biological engineer in the future.

 

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

 

Over the course of the last month I have learned many things, one of which is that  I’m unsure of my ability to create a physical model in the time that I have. As I was doing research, many of the sources I found repeatedly stated how difficult it was to create an efficient WEC due to environmental concerns, location, and cost among other  things. In fact, the largest reason why WEC’s are not already being widely used is mostly because of price. I will divert some of my time to creating a model that is more price and energy efficient. Another reason justifying this would be if I can eventually get a company started around WEC’s, then after making money from using cheaper less efficient ones I can eventually accumulate enough money to create a real one. Another option would be to get a sufficiently wealthy person to help me achieve my goals but that possibility is much less realistic.

However, what truly surprised me the most was the fact that most of the research that I have found on wave energy is relatively old. It seems that there were previously many more people working to obtain efficient energy from waves up until the 21st century. I am unsure why this happened, and so are other scientists whose articles I have read and videos I have watched. It truly is a phenomenon. We may never know whether it was due to the lack of information at the time, lack of resources, or motivation.