DOE’S PICKS IN HYDROKINETICS (OCEAN ENERGIES)

Described by some New Energy analysts as the most underdeveloped of the New Energies, hydrokinetic energy (i.e., wave, tide and current energies) could provide the U.S. with as much as 10% of its electricity.

A cumulative $7.3 million in awards from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is a noticeable contribution to research but not a decisive level of investment. On the other hand, it is not meant to be.

Much more impactful would be a new Department of Interior (DOI) and a new Minerals Mangement Service (MMS), the federal agencies charged with designating and approving regions for hydrokinetic energy development and handling applications for new hydrokinetic installations. These processes have crawled along at a very deliberate pace in recent years.

Equally important in the "right now" is the passage of H.R. 6049 by the House of Representatives because it designates "marine energy" as eligible for the production tax credit in the bill.

Interested in hydrokinetic energy? Tell your Representative in the House to vote YES on H.R. 6049 at the American Wind Energy Association’s POWER OF WIND or the Solar Energy Industries Association’s TAKE ACTION

From previous EPRI work. (click to enlarge)

DOE Announces Funding For Advanced Water Power Projects
September 19, 2008 (Sustainable Business)

WHO
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and awardees

WHAT
DOE announced the selection of 14 research teams who will receive a cumulative $7.3 million for advanced water power projects that will facilitate the development of hydrokinetic energy.

From previous EPRI work. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
Awards are for up to 5 years.

WHERE
Awards in 3 topic areas: (1) To develop and/or field test advanced water power technologies; (2) To facilitate the market penetration of advanced water power technologies; (3) To develop National Marine Renewable Energy Centers.

WHY
- The projects will advance commercial viability, cost-competitiveness, and market acceptance of new technologies that can harness renewable energy from oceans and rivers.
- Selections were made by a distinguished merit review committee, comprised of national and international water power experts.
- Awardees, 1st topic area (up to $600,000):
(1) Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) – a more efficient and environmentally friendly hydropower turbine for the commercial market.
(2) Verdant Power Inc. – better big, high-power hydropower rotors.
(3) Public Utility District #1 of Snohomish County (SnoPUD) – engineering design and construction for a Puget Sound tidal pilot demonstration plant.
(4) Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) – all license construction and operation applications required for a tidal energy demonstration plant for the two WaveConnect sites in Northern California.
(5) Concepts ETI (White River Junction, Vt.) - Ocean Wave Converter (OWC) Power System design, manufacturing and installation in Maui, Hawaii.
(6) Composite Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) – cold water pipe project.
- Awardees, 2nd topic area (up to $500,000):
(7) Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) – Wave Energy Resource Assessment and GIS Database for the U.S.
(8) Georgia Tech Research Corp. (Atlanta, Ga) – Energy Production Potential Assessment of Tidal Streams in the U.S.
(9) Re Vision Consulting, LLC (Sacramento, Calif) – Environmental/Navigational Impact Siting for Hydrokinetic Technologies.
(10) Pacific Energy Ventures, LLC (Portland, Ore) – Develop, review, and recommend how to minimize environmental impacts of hydrokinetic technologies.
(11) PCCI, Inc. (Alexandria, Va) – Systematize guidance to hydrokinetic developers to minimize navigational impact, expedite U.S. Coast Guard review.
(12) Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) San Diego, Calif) – Develop hydrokinetic energy industry standards to facilitate consistency, predictability and collaboration.
- Awardees, 2nd topic area (up to $1.25 million):
(13) Oregon State University (OSU), University of Washington (UW) and Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center – OSU/UW partnership will develop the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center to “…facilitate device commercialization, inform regulatory and policy decisions, and close key gaps in understanding.”
(14) University of Hawaii National Marine Renewable Energy Center – develop/ implement commercial wave energy systems and help move private sector ocean thermal energy conversion systems beyond proof-of-concept to pre-commercialization/long-term testing.

From previous EPRI work. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
John Mizroch, Acting Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, DOE: "The Department of Energy is aggressively pursuing the development of next-generation technologies that are capable of producing renewable energy to add to our nation's diverse energy portfolio…Wave, tidal, and current-driven hydro power is an important clean, natural, and domestic energy source that will promote energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."