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Upcoming Deadlines
Announcements & Opportunities
DOE Announces Winners of Wave-Energy-Powered Desalination Prize Competition: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the winners of $1 million in cash prizes from the DRINK Finale of the Waves to Water Prize, which challenged competitors to design, build, and test early-stage prototypes that use wave energy to produce clean drinking water from ocean water. Oneka Technologies won the grand prize of $500,000 for its device, the Oneka Snowflake. Learn more about the prize’s finale events and the winners, and watch the video recap to hear from competitors.
Deadline Nears for TCF Applications: The deadline is approaching for national laboratories to apply for funding from TCF. This year’s TCF reflects new flexibility stemming from modification to the TCF authorizing language passed in the Energy Act of 2020. This greater flexibility allows each office to follow the approach that maximized the ability of TCF funding to pursue promising energy technologies for commercial purposes. Full applications are due on April 29, 2022. All application materials must be submitted through EERE Exchange.
Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship Program: DOE recently announced the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship. The program will fund recent graduates and energy professionals to spend up to two years supporting a variety of organizations, such as public utility commissions, municipal and rural cooperative utilities, and grid operators like regional transmission organizations or independent system operators. This program, co-funded by the Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), will help increase access to clean energy career opportunities across the country and accelerate the national transition to a resilient and affordable clean energy economy. The deadline for applications from fellows and interested host organizations is May 6, 2022.
WPTO Opens Applications for 2023 MECC: WPTO recently opened applications for the fourth annual MECC, which challenges competitors to unlock the power of the ocean through the development of next-generation marine energy technologies. Undergraduate and graduate students from post-secondary institutions—including colleges, universities, community colleges, and trade schools—are invited to compete. Applications are due on May 8, 2022. Learn about the 2022 MECC teams and tune in to the final event for the 2022 competition May 23–27, 2022.
WPTO Releases Marine Energy Summary of Annual Accomplishments Report: WPTO released its 2020–2021 Accomplishments Report, highlighting dozens of WPTO-funded efforts to advance promising marine energy research and technologies, which convert the power in waves, tides, and ocean and river currents into clean electricity. Read the summary to learn about WPTO-funded marine energy projects and accomplishments over the past year.
CalWave Launches California’s First Long-Term Wave Energy Project: In September 2021, CalWave launched its (and California’s) first at-sea, long-duration wave energy pilot project, bringing the xWave technology closer to providing grid-connected electricity for coastal communities. CalWave’s xWave uses a promising architecture. But before marine energy companies like CalWave take their designs to the market, they must first take them to the ocean, a salty—and, therefore, corrosive—and volatile environment.
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Upcoming Events
WPTO R&D Deep Dive Webinar: TEAMER – Making Marine Energy Research Accessible
Today, April 27, 2022, 2–3:30 p.m. ET, Online
Learn more about the Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) program that connects marine energy innovators with state-of-the-art facilities for the support, testing, and expertise they need to create the next big advancement in renewable ocean energy. TEAMER is sponsored by DOE and directed by the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust.
Register for the event.
2022 MECC Final Event
May 23–27, 2022, Online
The 2022 MECC concludes with an exciting, five-day finale in May 2022. Seventeen collegiate teams from universities across the United States—and four teams from international universities in Brazil, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, and Qatar—will present their marine energy device concept and business plan to a panel of expert judges. The final event includes an opening ceremony with WPTO, an industry networking event, three days of virtual pitches, and an award ceremony. Experience the culmination of the year-long effort to help advance the burgeoning marine energy industry.
Register for the event.
Power for Ocean Sensing: Creating Dialogue Around Power Capabilities and Needs
May 19, 2022, 12–2 p.m. ET, Online
UMERC has identified a knowledge gap between marine energy developers and potential end users in this field. There have not been many dialogues between energy developers and oceanographers/instrument engineers. Because small-scale ocean energy is an emerging sector, creating space for this dialogue will ensure marine energy grows according to real ocean observation needs. During this workshop, marine energy developers will update oceanographers on new power technology development and discuss how they can support big data in the ocean. Oceanographers and instrument engineers will explain common instrument power requirements and form factors to marine energy developers.
Register for the event.
2022 UMERC & METS Marine Energy Research Conference
Sept. 13–14, 2022, Portland, Oregon
UMERC and METS will jointly sponsor a marine energy research conference in Portland, Oregon, on Sept. 13–14, 2022. This event will provide a venue where technical experts can present marine energy research that helps accelerate the pace of sustainable technology development. Students and early-career researchers, in particular, are encouraged to present their work. Submit any abstracts for the UMERC & METS conference by May 1, 2022.
Register for the event.
Products & Publications
A Window Into the Future of Wave Energy: DOE funding is catalyzing a partnership between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to take their variable-geometry, oscillating, surge wave energy converter from theory to practice. This project could help advance wave energy devices so the nation can rely more on the clean, renewable energy they can produce to both power and protect our planet. Watch the video highlighting this variable-geometry wave energy research.
NREL’s Wave Tank Paves Way For Marine Energy: Seafaring robots can do a lot for us and our oceans, such as cleaning out harmful plastic, exploring the 80% of area that remains a mystery, and monitoring for dangerous tropical storms. These marine energy devices need a clean energy source to continue their work and protect the ocean’s ecosystems at the same time. That’s why researchers are studying ways to bring clean marine energy to the sea using ocean-mimicking tools like wave tanks. NREL’s new wave tank, which is as long as three cars parked in a row and can support up to 22,000 pounds, can test how technology might fare in the ocean, including in unstable waves, and carve a new path forward for marine energy.
Open-Source Marine Energy Toolkit Provides Developers Updated Data Analysis: Created in 2019 with funding from WPTO, the Marine and Hydrokinetic Toolkit is releasing more robust versions for each platform. The massive, searchable, open-source knowledge hub for marine energy developers is now available in both Python and MATLAB. Learn more about how NREL researchers are updating the toolkit and helping the marine energy industry reach commercialization.
In Case You Missed It
Congress Provides Increased Funding to WPTO: On March 11, 2022, President Biden signed the omnibus spending package for Fiscal Year 2022. The package provides $162 million for WPTO, representing the office’s largest annual budget to date. Visit WPTO’s site to learn more about the office’s budget as well as the hydropower and marine energy funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Celebrating Women in Water Power: In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, WPTO and NREL both released articles spotlighting the inspiring women advancing water power technologies. Learn more about these renewable energy role models, including their backgrounds, goals, and advice to the next generation.
Recapping the WPTO Semiannual Stakeholder Webinar: In March 2022, WPTO hosted its semiannual stakeholder webinar, providing stakeholders with updates on water power funding opportunities, program accomplishments, and project updates. Missed the webinar? Check out the recap and recording on the WPTO website.
WPTO In the News
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The Ocean Comes to Colorado — Fast-Tracking Novel Marine Energy Technologies, CleanTechnica via DOE, Staff Writer, April 16, 2022
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2023 Hydropower & Marine Energy Collegiate Competitions Open for Applications, CleanTechnica via DOE, Staff Writer, April 13, 2022
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Desalination Deployment, East Carolina University News, Parker Kellam Murphy, April 13, 2022
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Instant Drinking Water: Just Add Wave Energy & Solar Panels, CleanTechnica, Tina Casey, April 12, 2022
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Waves to Water Prize Announces Grand Prize Winner and Celebrates the DRINK Finale, NREL, Staff Writer, April 8, 2022
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Ocean Energy? River Power? There's a Toolkit for That, Tech Xplore via NREL, Caitlin McDermott-Murphy, April 1, 2022
Marine Mentions
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Sustainable Marine Is Ready to Bring Tidal Energy to the Grid in Nova Scotia, Manufacture Link, John Nowacky, April 20, 2022
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Boss Behind £7bn North Wales Tidal Lagoon Project Says They Will Do 'Everything We Can' to Minimize Impact on Sealife, North Wales Live, Richard Evans, April 19, 2022
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Minesto Floats 120 MW Faroe Islands Tidal Power Scheme, Spash247.com, Adis Ajdin, April 18, 2022
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Trading Tidal Energy: Time to Invest in Europe’s Surging Wave Power?, Capital.com, Angela Barnes, April 18, 2022
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Tidal Power Is Set for a Commercial Breakthrough in the UK, The Maritime Executive, Simon Waldman, April 18, 2022
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Catching Waves and Wind: Clean Energy Search Turns Offshore, The Everett Herald, Julie Titone, April 17, 2022
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Proposed Tidal Energy Array Could Supply 40% of Faroe Islands' Electricity Consumption, Offshore Engineer, Staff Writer, April 15, 2022
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MAN and AWS Partner on Marine Sector Digitisation, Ship Technology, Staff Writer, April 14, 2022
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Marine Renewables Specialist Innosea Sets Up Shop in Spain, Offshore Energy Biz, Amir Garanovic, April 14, 2022
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New Tidal Energy Project Ready to Feed Into Nova Scotia’s Grid, International Water Power & Dam Construction, Staff Writer, April 14, 2022
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Minesto Launches Tidal Array Build-Out Plan, Empowering Faroe Islands Towards 100% Renewable Energy, Yahoo News, Staff Writer, April 13, 2022
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Sustainable Marine Ready to Launch Tidal Energy Onto Nova Scotia’s Grid, Renewable Energy Magazine, Staff Writer, April 12, 2022
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The Power of Wave Energy, C-Suite Quarterly, Terry Tamminen and Inna Braverman, April 12, 2022
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Eco Wave Power Signs Agreement to Construct 2MW Wave Energy Power Station in Spain, Yahoo News, Staff Writer, April 11, 2022
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Initial Testing on AWS Waveswing Completed, Renewable Energy Magazine, Robin Whitlock, April 8, 2022
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Opinion: To Solve Climate Change, Dive Into the Power of the Ocean, U.S. Department of State, Surangel S. Whipps Jr. and John Kerry, April 7, 2022
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UK Government Missed Massive Opportunity to Drive Tidal Energy Says British Hydropower Association, Renewable Energy Magazine, Robin Whitlock, April 7, 2022
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Milestone in Canadian-German EvoFoil Collaboration, International Water Power & Dam Construction, Staff Writer, April 6, 2022
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There Is No Time To Ignore the Clockwork Reliability of Tidal Power, The Scotsman, Rebecca Foster, April 6, 2022
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French Stand Ready to Kick Off SEM-REV 2.0 Works, Offshore Energy Biz, Amir Garanovic, April 5, 2022
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Project for Power from Sea Waves Inches a Step Closer, The Hindu, Dhinesh Kallungal, April 2, 2022
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