Nothing gives me less peace-of-mind than a big sea snake...

Nothing gives me less peace-of-mind than a big sea snake thrashing about in an angry storm with an extension cord stuck up it's backside! That's a recipe for maintenance if you ask me.

For all the stated strength in the Anacondas "body" the weak link will inevitably be in the "tail" where the force of that pulse needs to be turned into electricity and then cabled back to shore. If any problem develops, and given the history of failed attempts to generate electricity offshore that's likely, the whole thing will need to be towed to shore and docked to be fixed.

It does however look more promising than Pelamis, the other "snake" system that was similarly heralded for some time before it was deployed at full size, started springing leaks and had to be towed back to the dock for maintenance.

In terms of cost and peace of mind, give me mass producable, easily transportable, easily replaceable, electricity-free CETO units any day! Or maybe even Aquamarine's Oyster system if i'm being generous. I think "water pressure" systems will be the only ones standing in 5 -10 years time.

If the Anaconda could somehow take in water, and use the energy from "the bulge" to pressurise it and send it ashore, I might be more accepting.