US grants first wave energy lease in federal waters off the west coast
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a first-of-its-kind lease for wave energy research in federally managed oceans off the west coast.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas & Pacific Correspondent
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced on Feb. 16 that it just awarded a lease for the first major wave energy research project in federal waters off the US west coast.
This lease represents another step toward achieving the Biden administration’s goals to address climate change and promote offshore renewable energy production, notes BOEM.
“This is the first time a lease has been issued to support the testing of wave energy equipment in federal waters off the US West Coast,” said Amanda Lefton, the director of BOEM, in a press statement.
“Ocean waves contain a tremendous amount of energy, and this opportunity offers exciting potential to demonstrate the viability of wave energy technology and expand the nation’s renewable energy portfolio.”
Oregon State University, for the PacWave South Project, won the research lease. PacWave South is a proposed ocean wave energy test center located six nautical miles off the coast in Newport, Oregon, worth $80 million.
The test area will span 1,696 acres or 2.56 square miles. It will consist of up to 20 wave energy converter devices with a capacity of 20 megawatts.
