Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced its intent to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement in summer 2021 to support open water research and development (R&D) at the PacWave South test site.
The R&D that will be supported by this funding opportunity will help advance wave energy converter technologies towards commercial viability. The PacWave South test facility will be the nation’s first accredited, grid-connected, pre-permitted U.S. open water wave energy test facility.
“Building a clean energy economy and addressing the climate crisis is a top priority of the Biden Administration,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman. “Marine energy resources could be particularly well poised to help decarbonize the blue economy by providing renewable energy to support offshore industries, science and security missions, and by meeting the energy and water needs of coastal and remote island communities.”
Over the last decade, EERE has supported a broad spectrum of foundational R&D for wave energy converters, including the development of numerical modeling tools, the design and optimization of systems and components, characterization of systems through tank and laboratory testing, advancement in materials and controls, and limited open water systems testing activities.
EERE will fund proposals for the development of systems that can serve emerging blue economy markets or provide electricity to utility grids to help meet the nation’s growing need for clean energy. The funding opportunity will focus on three topic areas:
- Testing Wave Energy Converter Technologies at PacWave
- Advancing Wave Energy Converter Designs for PacWave
- Wave Energy R&D at PacWave
EERE has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across their portfolio of projects. EERE encourages participation from diverse entities such as Minority Serving Institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, other Minority Institutions, or members within Qualified Opportunity Zones[1].
Please refer to the full Notice of Intent for additional information.