Department of Energy awards millions in renewable and energy efficiency, Part 1

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded $37 million dollars for marine and hydrokinetic energy technology development. In the largest single U.S. funding commitment to date for this technology, DOE announced on September 9 its selections for more than $37 million in funding to accelerate the technological and commercial readiness of emerging marine and hydrokinetic technologies. These technologies generate renewable electricity from free-flowing rivers and streams, ocean tides and waves, and temperature differences in the ocean.

The 27 projects in 17 states range from concept studies and component design research to prototype development and in-water device testing. DOE will leverage private-sector investments by providing cost-shared funding to industry and industry-led partnerships.

“This funding represents the largest single investment of federal funding to date in the development of marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies,” said Secretary Chu. “These innovative projects will help grow water power’s contribution to America’s clean energy economy.”

The selected projects are led by companies and institutions in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. The projects include in-water tests in Alaskan rivers and off the shores of Maine, Oregon, and Washington.

Some of the projects selected include:

•Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (Pennington, New Jersey) will deploy a full-scale 150 kilowatt PowerBuoy system in the Oregon Territorial Sea and collect two years of detailed operating data. This project will obtain critical technical and cost performance data for one of the most advanced wave energy converters in the U.S. DOE Funding: $2,400,000. Total Project Value: $4,800,000.
•Ocean Renewable Power Company (Portland, Maine) will build, install, operate, and monitor a commercial-scale array of five grid-connected TidGen TM Project devices on the sea floor in Cobscook Bay off Eastport, Maine in two phases over three years. The project will advance ORPC’s cross-flow turbine tidal energy technology, producing a full-scale, grid-connected energy system and will gather critical technical and cost performance data for one of the most advanced tidal energy systems in the U.S. The completed project will comprise an array of interconnected TidGenT hydrokinetic energy conversion devices, associated power electronics, and interconnection equipment into a system fully capable of commercial operation in moderate to high velocity tidal currents in water depths of up to 150 feet. The project will significantly advance the technical, operational and environmental goals of the tidal energy industry at large. DOE Funding: $10,000,000. Total Project Value: $21,100,000.
•Public Utility District No.1 of Snohomish County (Everett, Washington) will deploy, operate, monitor, and evaluate two 10-meter diameter Open-Centre Turbines, developed and manufactured by OpenHydro Group Ltd, in Admiralty Inlet of Puget Sound. The project is expected to generate 1 megawatt (MW) of electrical energy during periods of peak tidal currents with an average energy output of approximately 100 kilowatts (kW). This full-scale, grid-connected tidal turbine system will gather critical technical and cost performance data for one of the most advanced tidal turbine projects in the U.S. DOE Funding: $10,000,000. Total Project Value: $20,100,000.

View the full list of projects. Please visit the Department of Energy’s Wind and Water Power Program website for more information on how DOE is advancing marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Database provides up-to-date information on marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy, both in the U.S. and around the world.

The database includes wave, tidal, current, and ocean thermal energy, and contains information on the various energy conversion technologies, companies active in the field, and development of projects in the water. Depending on the needs of the user, the database can present a snapshot of projects in a given region, assess the progress of a certain technology type, or provide a comprehensive view of the entire marine and hydrokinetic energy industry.

Results are displayed as a list of technologies, companies, or projects. Using the search options on the website data can be filtered by a number of criteria, including country/region, technology type, generation capacity, and technology or project stage. You can also learn more about the different marine and hydrokinetic technology types by selecting the “Technology Glossary” option. Anyone can submit a technology and/or project for consideration.

The database is currently being updated to include ocean thermal energy technologies, companies, and projects.

Related posts:

1. Florida leads in clean energy funding
2. Work on reducing water, energy, tax bills
3. Schools, students, teachers can apply online for green awards from Florida
4. 2011 Florida Renewal Energy Tour
5. House takes public testimony on energy exploration

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Posted by Valerie J. Amor on Sep 23 2010. Filed under Broward County, Emerging Green, Federal Government, Local news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry