The latest report detailing global efforts in marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) energy from Ocean Energy Systems (OES)—an intergovernmental collaboration between countries—is now available for download. OES bills the report as an assessment of the current state of the ocean energy industry.
The report details progress made by 25 OES members, including the United States. The Water Power Technologies Office contributed the U.S. portion of the report, with input from the national laboratories and U.S. Navy.
The report provides information about research and development activities, testing infrastructure, public support, and more from countries across the globe, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and China.
The U.S. contribution details initiatives like the successful Wave Energy Prize and current research, including efforts to develop advanced design tools and performance metrics. The Wave Energy Prize was an 18-month design-build-test competition whose grand-prize winner produced a five-fold increase in the energy capture potential of an MHK device.
The report also highlights an interview with Samantha Quinn, operations manager at the Northwest Nation Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC). In 2016, the Energy Department competitively selected NNMREC for an award up to $40 million to build a world-class wave energy testing facility. The facility will accelerate the pace of wave energy technology development by reducing expensive and time-consuming hurdles to device testing for industry.
The Water Power Technologies Office advances cutting-edge technology to modernize the U.S. hydropower fleet and drive U.S. leadership in MHK energy, with the goal of delivering low-cost power and resiliency to America’s power grids.