If you've enjoyed an ocean fishing trip or whale watching
tour off the Oregon coast, you know that the wave action is
relentless. It makes some people turn green just thinking about
that bouncy feeling. Well, those constantly rocking waves may yield
another type of green – green energy that is not
intermittent. The sun will set and the winds often subside, but the
wave action off the Oregon coast never stops.
Apparently, Oregon's waves are considered ideal for a constant
slow and steady energy source; better than Washington, better than
California. On March 1, 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission granted Oregon State University the first license in the country for a wave
energy testing facility, near Newport. Soon, a cable will be buried
between the offshore location and the shore, connecting the testing
facility to the local power grid. Then, up to 20 devices can be
installed within the test area to determine their energy production
capability, reliability, and scalability, and to monitor any
impacts on aquatic life.
The project has been in the planning stage for years, as OSU and
proponents worked with fishermen and environmental groups to find a
location that would have low impact on fisheries, fish, reefs,
kelp, and other aquatic life and resources. Now, with the granting
of the permit, there is some optimism that electricity could be
flowing from the waves to the power grid by 2023. Some predict that
wave energy might someday supply up to 10 percent of the
nation's power needs. Rock and roll!
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