Abstract: A process and system for harvesting energy from wind action on the high seas ill all weather conditions, on a year-round basis. This process depends upon the use of seagoing platforms (FIG. 2+ FIG. 4) which themselves achieve stability in the presence of storms at sea, doing so through the selective extraction of wave energy. The selective wave energy extraction takes place in such a way that the prevailing ratio of sea height to swell height affecting a typical seagoing platform ((FIG. 2 or FIG. 4)) is reduced to a small fraction of the ratio of sea height to swell height which prevails at a distance from the platform. In short, this process and system stabilizes a plurality of seagoing platforms which support wind and wave energy conversion means, while simultaneously extracting and converting energy from the combined wind and wave action.

Abstract: New and improved methods and means are described for the efficient, expeditious, economical, and safe conversion to usable form of almost all subsurface wave energy available within a predetermined annular region spanned by an array of submerged wave energy removing impellers mounted upon an annular outrigger surrounding and secured to a seagoing central platform. Maximal progressive inward attenuation of practically any state of the open sea is achieved over a very broad wave frequency band by buoyant, nonbuoyant, and neutrally buoyant impellers that function approximately as generalized simple pendulums whose natural frequencies fall at regular intervals throughout that frequency band. Optimal functioning of the impellers is achieved by assigning to their working members suitable degrees of omnidirectional response to water movement interial and drag forces, respectively.