Department Of Energy Funds Research On Wave Energy

摘要

In September the U.S. Department of Energy (doe) awarded grants to the University of Washington and Oregon State University to establish what will be called the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center. The research carried out there will explore ways of harnessing tidal and coastal wave energy in the Pacific Northwest. The grant will help the University of Washington study tidal energy in such estuaries as Puget Sound and will assist Oregon State University in its efforts to exploit coastal wave energy. The doe has asked the center to elucidate the uses and limitations of wave-powered energy generation devices, provide information to guide regulatory and policy decisions, and assist in the commercialization of devices that are effective in using wave energy. The department is also funding a similar research center at the University of Hawaii, and one of its goals will be to assist the private sector in moving ocean thermal energy conversion systems beyond the proof-of-concept stage to long-term pilot testing.