You wouldn't be able to see it because it would be anchored to the bottom of the sea — but an underwater wave farm could be just the thing to stop your energy bill soaring through the roof.

The project, spearheaded by two Bermudian environmentalists, involves installing dozens of pumps on the seabed to capture the power of the ocean and turn it into electricity.

Such an initiative — one of a number being considered for Bermuda's long-term energy future — would produce power at an affordable price, with none of the environmental side-effects of oil.

It would take up the size of two football pitches but according to the people behind it wouldn't be visible from the shore and would be so quiet you wouldn't know it was there.

Explaining the thinking behind Triton Renewable Energy's plan, director Jeff Manson told The Royal Gazette: "Bermuda is a very small island and we are constrained by limited resources.

"We are fully aware of the importance and significance of sustainability and carbon emissions.

"Seven years ago, people were not interested here. But a lot of factors have come into play — the price of oil, global warming and carbon footprints — which have all helped to change people's attitudes.

"We hear about solar and wind energy, but we thought being surrounded by abundant natural resources we should look offshore."

Triton says wave energy is two or three times more efficient than wind, and four to six times greater than the sun

But by comparison it is hardly used, so Triton's development has taken several years of hard work by Mr. Manson and Tim Hasselbring.

The pair's firm has now teamed up with Isle of Man-based Renewable Energy Holdings, which has been involved in developing a similar project in Australia.

Renewable Energy Holdings founder and CEO Mike Proffitt said climate change was the spark that started his company, but that an increasingly important dimension was the rising cost of importing fossil fuel.

"The world has a duty to make primary energy sources available," said Mr. Proffitt.

"For regular people, the increase on their electricity bill is just simply not sustainable."

Director Shane Bush added: "We have teamed up with Triton because they can bring all the local expertise to make this project work."

Under Triton's project, so-called CETO pumps — wave energy conversion devices — are anchored to the seabed in approximately 30 metres of water.

Each has a buoy which moves with the waves and pumps pressurised seawater along pipes to an onshore facility, which converts the pressurised water into electricity. The water is then returned to the sea.

The CETO units would be constructed of concrete, steel, plastic and rubber, none of which are said to be harmful to the marine environment over time.

Triton is now beginning a consultation process, the first step in the Environmental Impact Assessment process.

Asked about the likelihood of Bermuda adopting Triton's project, Department of Energy consultant Allan Bean said: "The advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

"We can't tell you what technology to select — certainly this one is one of the more likely to be selected. This one is natural to Bermuda."