US opens USD 112.5m for wave energy projects

The US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) this week opened a USD-112.5-million (EUR 100.8m) funding opportunity to help bring wave energy technologies closer to commercial use.

The five-year investment is expected to further the design, fabrication and testing of multiple wave energy converters (WECs). Up to 17 projects are anticipated to be funded.

Awards will be provided across three topic areas:

- Up to USD 16.9 million for wave device development and open water testing for dispersed use cases and power-at-sea applications.

- Up to USD 45 million for wave device development in support of coastal community needs, including power or desalinated water applications.

- Up to USD 50.6 million for wave device development for utility power needs, using offshore, grid-connected testing facilities such as PacWave.

Ocean Energy Europe said that after building PacWave, the world’s largest wave energy test centre in Oregon, the US government is now moving to seize wave energy’s potential with the largest-ever wave energy demonstration funding call.

According to the industry group, the rise of public investment in the US and China indicates that global competition is gathering pace in ocean energy.

"This reflects the growing momentum for ocean energy in the US. The government rightly identified the huge potential of wave energy as part of its energy transition, and is offering a clear path to boost deployments within the next five years. This adds to recent technological and financial milestones achieved by wave developers in Europe and will contribute to further accelerating the industrialisation of the industry across the globe," said Ocean Energy Europe’s CEO Remi Gruet.

Parties interested in WPTO’s opportunity must submit a concept paper by October 25 to be eligible to lodge a full application.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.896)

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