Kelly Slater’s perfect wave, now powered by the sun.
By now, the entire surfing world has heard about Kelly Slater’s immaculate wave pool. Soul-surfing qualms aside, the wave he created in a test pool in Lemoore, California, is perfect. Disgustingly so. There’s a good chance it will change the face of competitive surfing, and possibly create a whole new genre of the sport. But the amount of energy needed to created a wave that good is not a small thing. That’s why Kelly Slater Wave Company decided to partner with PG&E’s Solar Choice Program.
What that means, of course, is the the wave will be run off of 100% solar energy and emit zero greenhouse gasses. In the wake of California’s disastrous ongoing methane leak, it seems like a pretty good idea.
“This program allows Kelly Slater Wave Company to not only be a pioneer in wave technology,” said Noah Grimmett, General Manager of Kelly Slater Wave Company, “but also in supporting sustainable power initiatives as we act environmentally through an alternative to installing solar panels and fulfill our vision of building the best man-made wave.”
Right now, the pool in Lemoore sits on around 20 acres of land and uses well water. With Kelly’s record of walking the fine line between making a profit and full on environmentalism–a difficult thing to do–this most recent development is another step in the right direction. Unfortunately there’s still a long way to go before we’re not completely ruining the planet, but little steps are better than no steps, right?
