IRISH WAVES

Irish firm eyes wave energy park off Bandon
Susan Chambers, December 2, 2006

- Another alternative energy company is following the wave of harnessing the ocean's power by planning for an energy project off the coast near Bandon.
- Finavera Renewables Ltd., a private Irish renewable energy company with offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has filed a preliminary permit application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission…Finavera is one of several international companies seeking to generate electricity from ocean wave action using various designs of buoys anchored to the ocean floor. FERC already has issued more than 10 permits to companies operating wave energy parks off of Florida; in San Francisco Bay; in East River, NY; and in Puget Sound, Wash. Another nearly 40 permits are pending…
- If FERC accepts Finavera's preliminary permit application, the company has three years to develop and test technology exclusively in one area and set up a process for gathering public input…

- Finavera is very interested talking with local communities, fishermen and other stakeholders…
- Finavera already has selected a target area of about 20 square miles near Bandon…[T]he company could figure out the best placement for the buoys to ensure that they're close to a substation on shore which, in turn, would help Finavera keep its costs down and compete in the market…
- [A Finerva spokesman] said he was excited about the potential for generating clean energy from the ocean off of Bandon…