DOE’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation Announces Testing Facility to Accelerate Marine Energy Innovation

WASHINGTON—PacWave South, the first fully operational, pre-permitted and grid-connected wave energy test facility in the continental United States, is now open for business. A ribbon cutting ceremony on August 27^th celebrated the culmination of nearly 15 years of planning, permitting, design, construction, and close collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O), the facility’s operator, Oregon State University (OSU), and other partners.  

Thanks to its pre-permitted status, PacWave South allows wave energy developers to test devices without regulatory delays that can add to testing budgets and timelines. Facility operators have already begun to work with marine energy developers in preparation for the inaugural tests.

“Our oceans offer a largely untapped resource of abundant, affordable power,” said Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) Director Nichole Fitzgerald. "The PacWave South facility will help reduce testing barriers for wave energy developers and spur innovation to America’s benefit for years to come.” 

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) signed a Power Purchase Agreement with the PacWave facility in 2025 to offtake the power generated from the wave energy devices undergoing testing. The Central Lincoln People’s Utility District, located within BPA’s transmission area, will distribute the affordable, reliable, and secure power to local homes and businesses as soon as tests begin.