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The U.S. is making significant strides in marine energy technology, a sector with the potential to transform the energy landscape by harnessing the power of waves, tides, and currents.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates these resources could technically produce about 57% of the nation’s electricity needs. Harnessing just a fraction of these resources could provide substantial clean energy, supporting millions of homes and contributing to a sustainable energy future. As the U.S. aims to achieve its ambitious clean energy goals, the advancements in marine energy technologies are gaining momentum, supported by increased federal investment, research, and strategic initiatives.
Marine energy professionals are heading to Portland, Oregon, this week (May 20 – 23) for The Pacific Ocean Energy Trust’s (POET) annual Ocean Renewable Energy Conference (OREC), where attendees will learn about the important developments happing in the U.S. marine energy sector.
Ahead of the discussions and strategic planning happening at this year’s event, POWERHOUSE spoke with POET’s Samantha Quinn, who is Program Director and PI for TEAMER and the University Marine Energy Research Community (UMERC), as well as an Advisory Member on NHA’s Board of Directors, to better understand her perspective on the advancement of marine energy, ongoing efforts in the sector, and key initiatives aimed at propelling the sector forward.
ORPC’s RivGen Power System in Igiugig, Alaska.
Q&A WITH POET’S SAM QUINN
OREC 2024: A Shift Towards Interactivity
OREC 2024 marks a pivotal change in how marine energy stakeholders engage with each other. An effort has been made to focus on fostering interaction and collaboration amongst participants. The shift is designed to move away from traditional presentations where speakers talk at the audience, towards more engaging formats where ideas are exchanged dynamically.
POWERHOUSE: What has changed from 2023 to 2024 that the marine energy sector is going to discuss at this year’s OREC?
Sam Quinn: We wanted OREC to be a bit more interactive this year. With so many marine energy conferences, we wanted to get a bit away from having people ‘talk at the audience,’ so we’ve changed things up to try to get people to talk to each other and brainstorm.
We’ve incorporated a full-attendee workshop into the agenda to discuss challenges and opportunities that developers might see at PacWave. We also have several stand-alone talks to provide some longer narratives on certain issues, such as environmental and regulatory needs.
Networking during OREC’s 2023 conference in Portland, Oregon.
PacWave: A Catalyst for Further Commercialization
The PacWave project, set to come online in 2025 off the coast of Oregon, is a prime example of the strides being made in marine energy development in the Pacific Northwest. This state-of-the-art test site will play a crucial role in advancing marine energy technologies towards commercialization.
POWERHOUSE: How will the PacWave test site help in the progress towards the further commercialization of marine energy technologies?
Sam Quinn: PacWave will allow developers, both domestic and international, another open-water site to test devices in energetic seastates. Having more in-water, long-term testing allows for developers to go through the entire installation, operations, maintenance, and retrieval cycle, which can then help developers make additional design iterations or change processes to become more efficient.
In addition, we’ll get a great amount of environmental monitoring data which will in turn help to retire environmental risks for marine energy. Those are just a couple examples of how this site will help progress the commercialization of marine energy.
Fostering the Future Workforce
Engaging the next generation of marine energy professionals is critical for the sector’s long-term success. Competitions like the Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC) are instrumental in connecting students to potential careers in water power. These initiatives highlight the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and inspire students to pursue careers in marine energy, contributing to the industry’s long-term success.
University of New Hampshire students, the winners of the 2023 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition, pose for a photo with Jen Garson, former Director of the Water Power Technologies Office, at NHA’s Water Power Week.
POWERHOUSE: How are opportunities like the MECC fueling the need for the future marine energy workforce?
Sam Quinn: Opportunities like MECC are great because they provide students from a variety of backgrounds (engineering, business, etc.) a chance to experience working on a multi-disciplinary team to achieve a common goal. I think it demonstrates just how important different backgrounds and skillsets are when working on a project. Marine energy is not a mainstream career pathway (yet), but hopefully more students will come out of the competition wanting to continue their focus in marine energy whether that be going into industry or continuing with research.
Accelerating Innovation through TEAMER
The Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) program has been pivotal in advancing marine energy technology by providing essential funding and support for testing. Since 2020, TEAMER has provided more than $10 million in technical support across more than 100 marine energy projects.
POWERHOUSE: How do programs like TEAMER help move marine energy technology development forward? What else is needed?
Sam Quinn: By providing funding support for testing, developers and researchers are able to take more risks that they may not otherwise be able to, which I think is important for innovation. Furthermore, due to the quicker nature of testing through TEAMER, developers and researchers are able to iterate design or other aspects of technology more quickly, which helps move technology closer to commercialization. As for what else is needed – we need funding for more full-system, long-term testing to help developers and researchers really understand how their technology works at sea. Hopefully PacWave and other test sites around the US can help satisfy that need.
Looking Ahead
The marine energy sector in the U.S. is poised for substantial growth in the coming years. Beyond OREC, the industry is eager to see new projects come to fruition, the introduction of supportive policies, and potential reforms in the regulatory process to streamline development.
POWERHOUSE: What are you most looking forward to in the domestic marine energy sector this year?
Sam Quinn: Seeing projects get in the water, hopefully more policy around marine energy get introduced, and maybe some shake-up in terms of the regulatory process for marine energy.
Oscilla Power’s TRITON-C on its way to the U.S. Navy’s WETS test center in Hawaii.
NEXT STEPS
As the marine energy sector continues to innovate and evolve, these ongoing efforts and initiatives underscore a commitment to harnessing the power of oceans and flowing water sustainably and efficiently. With continued innovation, strategic investments, and supportive policies, marine energy technologies can significantly contribute to the nation’s clean energy goals. The advancements in marine energy technology in the United States underscore the sector’s potential to provide sustainable and reliable energy. As these technologies continue to evolve, they will play a critical role in addressing climate change, enhancing energy security, and fostering economic development.
The focus remains on overcoming technical and regulatory challenges, and expanding deployment opportunities to ensure marine energy becomes a mainstream component of the U.S. energy portfolio.
