System and method for renewable electrical power production using wave energy

A system for collecting and converting wave energy, comprising:

• a plurality of floating structures, positioned in seawater in the path of oncoming waves, wherein each of the structures including:
• a wave-engaging forward barge;
• an after barge;
• a central barge, each of the forward and after barges being movably connected to the central barge so as to allow for articulated motion therebetween, wherein the forward barge is positioned in front of the central barge and the after barge is aligned behind the central barge such that the oncoming waves impact in the order of the forward barge, the central barge and then the after barge;
• an inertial damper plate connected to a lower portion of the central barge and operatively connected to provide displacement stability to the central barge, the inertial damper being connected via spud supports to the central barge wherein the inertial damper causes is configured to promote a pendular motion of the central barge, wherein the central barge floats in the seawater at a minimum vertical displacement to achieve stability;
• and
• an electrical generator mounted on top of at least one of the wave-engaging forward barge, the after barge and the central barge, and the electrical generator being operatively connected between the central barge and the forward barge and between the central barge and the after barge so as to generate electricity in response to wave motion impacting and displacing the wave-engaging forward barge and the after barge relative to the central barge while the central barge is at the minimum vertical displacement, wherein the electrical generator is configured to convert mechanical motion of the forward barge and the after barge relative to the central barge in response to the wave motion so as to generate electricity at the electrical generator on top of the at least one of the wave-engaging forward barge, the after barge and the central barge, and the electrical generator is further configured to transmit the electricity to nearby land,
• the electrical generator further includes a plurality of electrical generators mounted on top of at least one of the wave-engaging forward barge, the after barge and the central barge, the plurality of electrical generators being operatively connected between the wave-engaging forward barge and the central barge and between the after barge and the central barge, wherein the plurality of electrical generators are configured to generate the electricity in response to mechanical motion of the wave-engaging forward barge and the after barge relative to the central barge and to transmit the electricity generated at the plurality of electrical generators to the nearby land, and
• a plurality of pumps operatively connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of electrical generators, wherein each of the plurality of pumps is configured to pump hydraulic fluid to and from the corresponding ones of the plurality of electrical generators in response to the of mechanical motion of the wave-engaging forward barge and the after barge relative to the central barge, and
• the electrical generator is configured to convert flow of the hydraulic fluid to and from the pumps into turbine motion in each of the plurality of electrical generators to generate the electricity thereby;
• and
• a mechanism for controllably submerging at least the wave-engaging forward barge, the after barge and the central barge entirely to a stationary position at a predetermined depth below a seawater surface in response to current wave conditions of the surrounding environment, and for re-floating the wave-engaging forward barge, the after barge and the central barge back to the seawater surface,
• wherein the mechanism is configured such that, while entirely submerged, the central barge, the forward, barge and the after barge are movably aligned so as to allow for articulated motion therebetween such that oncoming underwater waves impact the forward barge, the central barge and the after barge so as to continue generating electricity via the electrical generator.