Patent ID: 7770390

Claim:
A wave energy harvester comprising: an at least partially submersed amplifier element, wherein the element is rigidly coupled to a generator such that at least a portion of vertical movement of the element actuates the generator; wherein the amplifier element has a shape and has a fixed angle of attack throughout a wave cycle of a passing wave such that (a) the amplifier element is effective to translate forward velocity of water of a cresting wave relative to the element into an additional upward force of the entire wave energy harvester as compared to an upward force without the amplifier element, and such that (b) the amplifier element is effective to translate backward velocity of water of a wave approaching its trough relative to the element into an additional downward force of the entire wave energy harvester as compared to a downward force without the amplifier element; wherein the shape of the amplifier element has a hydrofoil shape or a lifting or planing hull shape.