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Canadian tidal energy industry offers opportunity

According to the Offshore Energy Research Association of Nova Scotia (OERA), the results of the association-commissioned report, “Value Proposition for Tidal Energy Development in Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada and Canada,” suggest tidal energy could reduce Canada’s dependence on fossil fuels and create a new industry that offers significant socio-economic benefits across Canada.

In the OERA report, researchers said, “The value proposition for investing in tidal energy is considered the strongest in Nova Scotia.”

The report also said, “Over the next 25 years, the tidal energy industry could contribute up to C$1.7 billion to Nova Scotia’s gross domestic product, create up to 22,000 full-time positions and generate as much as C$815 million in labor income.”

OREA also said, “The value proposition of the study examines the economic potential that could be realized over a 25-year period to 2040 and how that financial valuation changes under different factors and drivers.”

According to the report, “Canada has the capability and experience to supply 60-70% of the goods and services required for large-scale development, with an estimated value in the billions. Further, advancing the sector in Canada would produce benefits in the form of reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved national energy security.”

Readers may access this report at www.oera.ca/news.

DOE looks for tech boom with new Wave Energy Prize announcement

A new prize purse announced by the U.S. Department of Energy could feed more than $2 million into wave energy technology research and development.

Introduced by DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Assistant Secretary Dave Danielson on April 27, during the National Hydropower Association’s Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., the program — called the Wave Energy Prize — is intended to “reduce the cost of wave energy, making it more competitive with traditional energy solutions.”

The announcement was of particular interest to those people attending the International Marine Renewable Energy Conference (IMREC) and Marine Energy Technology Symposium (METS), which were, for the first time, co-located with NHA’s annual meeting.

“For this exciting new prize competition, we’re challenging you — our key stakeholders in the industry — to double the energy captured from ocean waves by developing new ocean wave energy converter technology” Danielson said. “[The Wave Energy Prize] will not only result in some fascinating new concepts, but will also open up new technology for the industry as it moves forward more and more rapidly.”

The program includes a 20-month design-build-test competition that offers seed money and an opportunity to participate in two rounds of testing. Those companies selected for the second round of competition will be given a chance to test scaled wave energy conversion (WEC) devices at the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Maneuvering and Seakeeping (MASK) Basin at Carderock, Md., beginning Summer 2016.

“The winning devices will help create new possibilities to reduce costs and move wave energy even closer to widespread commercialization,” Danielson said.

Interested participants can register for the Wave Energy Prize until June 15 at WaveEnergyPrize.org.

Energy Department announces $10.5 million for marine systems

There is $10.5 million in available funding to support “Next-Generation Marine Energy Systems–Durability and Survivability.” The funding is intended to support design and operation of innovative marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) systems through survivability and reliability-related testing, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

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

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

The funding opportunity includes:

— Increasing the survivability of wave energy converter systems, thereby decreasing capital costs or extending their life spans; and

— 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.

More information regarding the amounts of available funding and potential projects used for MHK in the DOE’s program is available at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.

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