Can you harness energy from ocean waves?

Question

We already have solar and wind power. Do we already have wave power?

Answer 1

Yes

Answer 2

yes we do oceanic water wave compression

Answer 3

Yes, there are tide power plants

Answer 4

There are 3 basic ways to get energy from the ocean water itself:

1) Tides (these are not waves, but the diurnal movement in water height)

2) Waves -- the more frequent up and down motion of a floating object

3) Temperature gradients, for example from ocean floor to surface

There are some small scale projects that make use of these, however the ocean is a pretty extreme environment, which still makes it pretty difficult.  

See the wikipedia entries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wave_power

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_power

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_therm...