DOE MONEY FOR OCEAN ENERGY

Grant to fund offshore energy research
July 24, 2009 (The New England Business Bulletin)

"A recent $950,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy could place the New England Marine Renewable Energy Center on the cutting edge of developing technologies for clean energy by utilizing offshore tides, wind and waves.

"Headquartered at UMass Dartmouth's Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center in Fall River, the grant will assist researchers from area institutions as well as MREC in…[developing] a full and partial scale test site off the coast of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, which…[will allow trials of ocean energy systems] in rough marine environments for a lot less than it would cost for them to do it themselves."

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"Researchers survey locations, called sweet spots, where the current runs the fastest for the longest period of time during tidal cycles. The current project has identified a site known for its furious currents in Muskeget Channel, between Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, for testing and developing a tidal energy project…[It] could provide enough power for the town of Edgartown and all of Martha's Vineyard...[Funding will allow the survey of Muskeget Channel…and for a proposed National Ocean Renewable Energy Innovation Zone, for technology development, for an open ocean test facility and work on wind and wave energy at MIT, WHOI (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute), UNH (University of New Hampshire), and URI (University of Rhode Island)]…

"The only permanent open ocean testing site in the world right now, according to Miller, is the European Marine Energy Center in Scotland which has spurred development of what Scotland estimates to be an industry employing 3,000 people…"

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"Survey work began last year and has started again this year working with the town of Edgartown, which has the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission preliminary permit. The work was being done by the UMass School of Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) with funding from the Mass Technology Collaborative. UMass Amherst and WHOI are also getting into the water with the new funding.

"Expectations are high…While New England peak usage in electricity is around 28 Gigawatts, the Electric Power Research Institute research center reported that New England waters could yield over 200 Gigawatts alone…"