DoE Awards USD 10.5 Mln for Wave & Tidal Systems

The U.S. Energy Department (DoE) has announced $10.5 million in available funding to support the design and operation of innovative marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) systems through survivability and reliability-related testing of these systems.

Such advances will help these devices harness even more sustainable energy from the enormous potential of the nation’s oceans and rivers, the DoE stated.

The approximately six projects selected for funding will address the challenges that the ocean environment poses for MHK energy systems, which must operate in often harsh and unpredictable conditions for years.

The “Next-Generation Marine Energy Systems—Durability and Survivability” funding opportunity will focus on reducing the costs of MHK systems in the early stages of the development cycle—improving the likelihood of successful deployment in the future.

The funding opportunity includes two areas of interest:

1. Increasing survivability of wave energy converter systems, thus decreasing capital costs or extending their life spans.
2. Reducing uncertainty around the installation, operations, and maintenance of wave and current energy converters, thus decreasing their overall costs and increasing their ability to function over time.

By reducing uncertainty in MHK survivability, installation, operations, and maintenance, the funding opportunity will enable the cost-effective development of robust MHK technologies, the DoE said.

Image: Columbia Power Technologies