After shutting down the gas-fired power plant in Morro Bay, Dynegy is considering an option of using the site to harness energy from the ocean, writes the Tribune.
The power plant, which was operating since 1950s, was closed as it was not generating revenue.
Now the Huston-based utility company is “looking into whether the technology is viable,” said Alan Padgett, the company’s managing director of commercial operations.
Dynegy is in talks with Gwave, a wave energy company based in New Hampshire, about the deployment of a wave energy farm off the coast of Morro Bay, where it will be connected to the grid trough the existing transmission lines at the plant.
“Our goal is to meet Morro Bay’s needs and California’s needs,” Stoddard said. “We’ll be building partnerships and reaching out to the community. We want to have as responsible of a development as possible that uses the energy of the ocean in the most efficient way.”
The wave energy farm is expected to become operational by 2017.
Offshore WIND staff, February 11, 2014; Image: flickr