U.S. DOE Invests Millions for Marine Energy and Offshore Wind R&D at Universities

by | Dec 5, 2024 | Clean Energy News, Wind | 0 comments

Marine energy technology, like this wave energy device from Northwest Energy Innovations, is still in an early stage of development. Many take their first ocean plunge at the United States Navy’s Wave Energy Test Site near Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, which is pictured here. Photo from Northwest Energy Innovations.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced an investment of more than $18 million for 27 research and development (R&D) projects focused on advancing marine energy and offshore wind technologies with the goal of more widely deploying renewable energy sources. These projects at 17 universities will address challenges facing marine and ocean renewable energy industries and spur innovation and development. 

While marine energy is not yet widely deployed across the country, the total available marine energy resource in the United States is equivalent to nearly 60% of all U.S. power generation. Even if only a small portion of this technical resource potential is captured, marine energy technologies would make significant contributions to U.S. energy needs. 

Meanwhile, floating offshore wind has 2.8 terawatts of potential power in the United States. If fully developed, this would equate to more than double current U.S. electricity consumption.

The projects selected through this funding opportunity seek to:

  • Generate publicly available data and test platforms that will help identify cost reductions and performance improvements to advance marine energy devices.
  • Advance potential synergies between offshore wind and/or marine energy and aquaculture development. (A joint effort between DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office and Wind Energy Technologies Office.)
  • Support undergraduate senior design and/or research projects in marine energy.
  • Advance additional ideas that support the Water Power Technologies Office’s Marine Energy Program objectives.

Some of the universities selected include:

  • Oregon State University (Corvallis, Oregon): multiple awards- $500,000; $999,500; and $1,000,000
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa (Honolulu, Hawaii): $497,000
  • Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (College Station, Texas): $500,000
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks (Fairbanks, Alaska): multiple awards- $500,000; $1,000,000
  • University of Washington (Seattle, Washington): multiple awards- $500,000; $999,300
  • North Carolina State University (Raleigh, North Carolina): Two awards—$1,000,000 and $1,000,000

Learn more from DOE here: U.S. Department of Energy Invests More Than $18 Million in Marine Energy and Offshore Wind Research at Universities | Department of Energy