West Coast Wave Energy Framework Open for Public Comment

Pacific Energy Ventures, under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is collaborating with stakeholders to develop a Planning & Assessment Framework that outlines environmental information relevant to developing and permitting wave energy projects offshore California, Oregon, and Washington. The project is now focused on collecting stakeholder input on options to address key data gaps. A survey designed to present the draft options and collect stakeholder input is available now through October 7, 2010. Once stakeholder input is collected, the project team will summarize the feedback in a final report to be shared with the DOE and all interested parties.

Click on this link to participate in the survey.

Surfrider Foundation Signs Historic Settlement Agreement on Reedsport, Oregon Wave Energy Project

The Surfrider Foundation today joined over a dozen government agencies, ocean stakeholder groups, and environmental organizations in signing a historic settlement agreement with Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) in support of the construction and operation of the Reedsport OPT Wave Park.

The Reedsport OPT Wave Park is expected to be the first commercial-scale wave energy project in the United States, pending licensing from the Federal Energy and Regulatory Commission (FERC). Phases I and II of the project will consist of ten PowerBuoys installed 2.5 miles off the coast of Reedsport, OR.

The parties to the settlement agreement participated in a three-year process to develop consensus on aspects of project design, required monitoring, and contingencies for adaptive management. The Surfrider Foundation has served as a formal representative of recreational and environmental interests throughout the process.

“We believe this represents a really good approach for the development of wave energy technology,” said Pete Stauffer, Surfrider Foundation’s Ocean Ecosystem Program Manager. “Incorporating good science and meaningful stakeholder involvement in the planning and management of wave energy projects is in the best interests of nearshore ecosystems and coastal communities.”

The Reedsport settlement agreement defines a precautionary approach to development of the Wave Park that is intended to minimize impacts to the nearshore environment and existing ocean uses such as recreation and fishing. An adaptive management program that includes monitoring of ecological and socioeconomic effects will inform the management and further build-out of the project.

The Surfrider Foundation recognizes that technologies utilizing ocean waves, tides, currents and wind may offer important benefits as renewable sources of energy that will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. They may also help to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and the dangerous practice of offshore oil drilling.

The Surfrider Foundation has developed a policy statement on renewable ocean energy, which includes a set of principles to consider during the planning or evaluation of any proposed project. Employing these principles may help reduce impacts to ocean recreation, nearshore ecology, coastal processes, public safety, aesthetics, and fishing access.

Solana Beach Firm Developing Wave Generator for University

American Wave Machines Inc. in Solana Beach, California is developing a wave generator for the Ocean Energy Research Lab at the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) for the ultimate purpose of making ocean waves a renewable energy source.

Unlike wave generators for the amusement industry, The wave generator for the university will be the central component of a large wave tank system. It will be capable of generating waves with controllable wave heights and frequencies in a tank measuring fifteen meters long, one meter wide, and one meter deep. Upon completion, the wave tank will become a primary facility for ocean energy research at UTB.

Researchers at the university said that, although ocean waves hold enormous energy, that energy is under-utilized because there’s no reliable and cost-effective way of harnessing it. The Ocean Energy Research Lab is currently pursuing a novel technology to enable a corrosion-free, maintenance-free and hurricane-proof wave energy converter. The AWM wave generator will be used to simulate a typical ocean environment in the lab for testing bench-scale prototype wave energy converters.

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Interest in Wave Energy Increasing

Although we're still years away from getting a significant amount of clean, renewable energy from waves, a recent article Wave Power Could Reduce Dependency on Oil that appeared in U.S. News and World report is an indication that there is increasing interest in wave and tidal energy.

Specifics and success stories are still hard to find. The article mentions several competing technologies and projects in Europe, including the Pelamis project in Portugal that was apparently abandoned in 2009, Aquamarine Power's Oyster, which is currently being tested in the waters off Scotland, and Checkmate Seaenergy's Anaconda, which has yet to be tested in the real world.

Commercialization may be closer in the U.S. In California, PG & E is planning to test up to four different technologies with its Wave Connect project in Humboldt County and is evaluating the potential for tidal energy in San Francisco Bay.

But Reedsport, Oregon may be the site of of the first commercial wave energy project on the West Coast. Surfrider Foundation is an active stakeholder in this project, which would be developed by Ocean Power Technologies.

Wave and Tidal Energy Project Review Process in California

The California Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Public Utilities Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to coordinate their review of hydrokinetic (wave and tidal) energy projects in California state waters. The MOU ensures that FERC and California will confer early and often to identify potential issues and to set a schedule to process permit applications. The MOU can be found online at: www.opc.ca.gov/category/news/. The FERC press release can be found online at www.ferc.gov/news/newsreleases.asp

Under the MOU, officials at FERC and in California agree to the following with respect to hydrokinetic energy projects:

• They will notify each other when one becomes aware of a potential applicant for a preliminary permit, pilot project license or license


• They will encourage applicants to seek pilot project licenses prior to a full commercial license to allow adequate testing of untested devices or device operations before commercial deployment


• They will coordinate the environmental reviews of any proposed projects in California state waters. FERC and California also will consult with stakeholders, including project developers, on the design of studies and environmental matters and


• If California prepares siting guidelines or a comprehensive plan for the siting of hydrokinetic projects, FERC will take this plan into consideration when issuing a license for any hydrokinetic project.

For more information about the OPC, please visit: http://www.opc.ca.gov/.

Setback for Wave Energy in Australia

A wave energy generator which was launched off the New South Wales south coast of Australia in March, has sunk in rough seas. The 170-ton structure had been providing electricity to the grid from 150 meters offshore at Port Kembla. It broke free from its pylons last Friday afternoon and sank on Saturday. Early efforts to tow the barge to safety were abandoned due to the rough conditions. Attempts to retrieve the barge will be made this week. The generator's Sydney-based developer, Oceanlinx is investigating what happened.

SB SURFRIDER TO HOST PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION WITH PG&E "WaveConnect" REPRESENTATIVES THURSDAY

WAVE ENERGY PROJECT OFF THE SANTA BARBARA COAST? In the search for "cleaner and greener" energy; ocean waves, tides, currents and wind may offer important benefits as renewable sources of energy that will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. These alternative energy sources may also provide economic development through a cutting-edge industry for coastal communities. At the same time, there are many questions and concerns about ocean energy, including potential impacts to ocean recreation, nearshore ecology, coastal processes, public safety, aesthetics, and fishing access. Please join SB Surfrider for an interesting and informative presentation on ocean wave energy. Patricia Wilmore of Pacific Gas & Electric will make a presentation on their proposal to test ocean wave energy devices off northern Santa Barbara County's coast. Hope to see you there! When: Thursday, April 15, 7:00 pm Where: Watershed Resource Center, Arroyo Burro Beach, 2981 Cliff Drive, Santa Barbara Who: SB Surfrider What: Patricia Wilmore of PG&E will speak on PG&E's WaveConnect Project, a proposal to harvest ocean wave energy for electricity off the northern Santa Barbara County coast near Vandenberg AFB. For more information on ocean wave energy: http://www.pge.com/waveconnect/ http://www.surfrider.org/policy_ocean_alt_energy.asp

Oregon's Big Buoy

A wave energy project off Reedsport, Oregon is slated to be the first such commercial scale project in the U.S. Surfrider Foundation has been participating as a formal stakeholder in the settlement process on behalf of recreation and conservation interests.

Two and a half years after a wave energy test buoy sank off Newport, the drive to harness energy from the ocean is heating up again with plans for at least one buoy to be deployed off Oregon's central coast before the year's end.

And there are hopes for a handful more not long after.

It's all part of Oregon's race to become a leader in wave energy technology, a competition that only three years ago threatened to deteriorate into a bitter battle pitting east coast developers against fishermen, surfers and others.

Many of them feared the buoys could harm fishing, recreation and tourism. But today, some say the situation exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and cooperation.

"Oregon has a lot to be proud of and a lot of people have shown a lot of leadership," Onno Husing, executive director of Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association. "We are literally helping to figure this out for the nation."

If that happens -- if Oregon wins the wave energy race and does it well -- proponents say it could someday mean $1 billion plus annually to the state,

Read More

Wave Energy Scales Up Off Scotland

Leading edge: This buoyancy tube is the top edge of a 194-ton hinging device that converts wave energy into 315 kilowatts of electricity. Credit: Aquamarine Power


Scotland hopes to ride the next renewable energy wave. Site leases for several big wave and tidal power projects were awarded last week by the U.K. government, concluding a two-year bidding process that elicited strong interest from major utilities and energy entrepreneurs. The awards open the way for six wave energy projects and four tidal energy systems around Scotland's Orkney Islands that could collectively generate up to 1.2 gigawatts, exceeding the U.K.'s 700-megawatt target for the bidding round. This is an immense scale for an industry that so far has installed only pilot projects involving a handful of small devices.

Read more....

Editorial Supports Humboldt Wave Energy Project

On February 4 the Eureka, CA Times-Standard editorialized in favor of PG&E's proposed wave energy project by writing:

"...we encourage Pacific Gas and Electric Co.'s efforts to implement a cutting-edge wave energy project off our coast. As long as it remains understood that such efforts need much in the way of development, and that some serious due diligence needs to be undertaken so that such projects don't have traumatic impacts on our coast or our fishing industry, Humboldt County should be jumping up and down to attract such projects. "

PG&E wave project in Humboldt County, CA

EUREKA -- The Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is weeks away from submitting an application to the federal government for a first-of-its kind project to test wave energy devices off the Humboldt County coast.
The pilot project could be a proving ground for the large-scale production of energy from waves, but a host of environmental and economic concerns will have to be addressed before that can happen. At a public meeting at the Veteran's Hall Tuesday night, a working group made up of representatives from PG&E, state and federal agencies, commercial and sport fishing interests, and surfing and environmental groups outlined the promise and potential effects of new technologies.

Read more...

The Humboldt Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is actively participating in this planning process to ensure that is meets the standards established in our Alternative Ocean Energy policy

Oregon State University deploys prototype wave buoy

See a prototype of a wave energy buoy bob up and down on the water's surface as researchers from Oregon State University study its efficacy.

Read Smithsonian article about OSU electrical engineer & wave energy researcher Annette von Jouanne.

Wave Energy Project Proposed for Central California

Pacific Gas & Electric is preparing to seek approval to study a future wave energy project located off the California coast near Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The project, which could take years to become operational, would generate as much as 100 megawatts of power, providing permanent non-fossil-fueled electricity for the base in Santa Barbara County. PG&E is expected to seek the permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has been designated as the umbrella agency for wave energy project approval in the nation.

PG&E is already studying a wave energy power station in Humboldt Bay in Northern California and has launched a Web site, http://www.next100.com/, to promote its initiatives.

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Sonoma Coast Hydrokinetic Energy Project | Public Meetings

Sonoma Coast Hydrokinetic Energy Project

September 9 - Gualala Community Center
47950 Center St., Gualala

September 16 - Jenner Community Center
10398 Hwy 1, Jenner

Time: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) will hold public meetings to discuss the Sonoma Coast Hydrokinetic Energy Project (SCHEP) and to receive public input.

On July 7, 2009, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved three Preliminary Permits that will allow SCWA to conduct feasibility studies for a hydrokinetic energy project at three locations off the Sonoma County Coast. At this meeting, SCWA will provide a formal presentation on preliminary project information, discuss timelines and receive public input.

Comments may be submitted thereafter to the Capital Projects Manager of Sonoma County Water Agency, PO Box 11628, Santa Rosa, CA 95406.
For more information about this meeting visit www.sonomacountywater.org, or contact Brad Sherwood, Public Information Officer, at 707.547.1927 or brad.sherwood@scwa.ca.gov or Amy Bolten, Public Information Officer, at 707-547-1981 or amy.bolten@scwa.ca.gov.



More info from the Sonoma County Water Agency can be found here

.: EfficienCity :.

Greenpeace UK has put together a nice website to help envision an climate-friendly city.

EfficienCity is a virtual city but all towns and cities in the UK could be enjoying the same lower greenhouse gas emissions, cheaper bills and better energy security.

Visit the EfficienCity and check out the "South Zone". It has cool animations/explanations of wind, wave and tidal power as well as information resources.

Wave Energy Projects that interest the Surfrider Foundation

View Wave Energy Projects in a larger map

These are wave energy projects where the Surfrider Foundation is actively participating in project planning. This doesn't mean that we fully endorse the proposed project but we are following their progress and providing input.

Click on the symbol to see project name and FERC docket number. The FERC docket number can be used to find up to date information on the permit status for that project.

Click here to look up the docket number: http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/docket_search.asp

Senator Merkley holds Oregon Wave Energy Roundtable

Newport, OR – Wave energy can help lead Oregon and America into the clean energy economy however the trade offs and unknowns of the environmental impacts, regulation and technology take a careful approach of adaptive management and stakeholder dialogue.

That was one of the conclusions reached at a roundtable conversation organized by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today at the Hatfield Marine Science Center. The discussion of how Oregon can help pioneer a clean energy economy was at the forefront of the roundatable discussion.

"Wave energy has serious potential to become a huge clean energy source for the Oregon coast and help boost the local economy," Merkley said. "But it has to be developed in partnership with local communities, and in a manner that is in harmony with the fishing industry, ocean users and coastal ecosystems."

Roundtable participants included:

Dr. George Boehlert, Professor of Marine Fisheries and Director of Hatfield Marine Science Center
Bob Eder, Vice-Chair of Newport’s Fishermen Involved in Natural Energy Committee (FINE) and fishing representative for Oregon Wave Energy Trust
Paul Klarin, Marine Affairs Coordinator, Oregon Department of Land Conservation & Development
Dr. Robert Paasch of Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center
Dr. Merrick Haller of Oregon State University's Wave Energy Engineering
Robin Hartmann of Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition
Nik Furman of the Dungeness Crab Commission Pat Ashby of Tillamook People's Utility District
Ken Rhinefrank of Columbia Power Technologies
Len Bergstein of Ocean Power Technologies
Charlie Plybon Oregon Field Coordinator for Surfrider Foundation.

Is the wave energy "gold rush" over?

As a result of numerous challenges ranging from the experimental nature of the technology, uncertainty about regulatory requirements and environmental consequences, and lack of available funding, wave energy developers have abandoned about 1/3 of the wave energy projects proposed along the West Coast.

Read more here.

Check out the Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) series on energy called The Switch.

PGE ends their Mendocino Project

As recently reported in the Mendo Coast Current, PG&E has decided to pull their Wave Connect project that was being planned for Fort Bragg in Mendocino County.

According to Bill Toman, PG&E's Senior Program Manager for the Renewable Resource Department, the project was pulled because engineering studies of Fort Bragg's Noyo Harbor determined that the port was insufficiently designed to operate the project from.

Toman said that the PG&E would be pulling their FERC permit in the next few weeks and issuing a formal statement on the project shortly.

Read more...

Anaconda harnesses wave power

A new wave energy device known as "Anaconda" is the latest idea to harness the power of the seas.

Its inventors claim the key to its success lies in its simplicity: Anaconda is little more than a length of rubber tubing filled with water.

Waves in the water create bulges along the tubing that travel along its length gathering energy.

At the end of the tube, the surge of energy drives a turbine and generates electricity.

Read more...