WPTO Announces $35 Million in Funding to Advance Tidal and River Current Energy Systems

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sent this bulletin at 11/23/2022 11:00 AM EST

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Water Power Technologies Office

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Nov. 23, 2022

Banner announcing the newsletter name "The Water Column" with an image of the ocean at sunset behind it.

Welcome to the Water Column, a monthly snapshot of marine energy news and happenings. This month’s newsletter will take approximately eight minutes to read. 

Reach out to us at WaterPowerTechnologiesOffice@ee.doe.gov with any inquiries or suggestions.
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Did You Know?

You can learn about past and present marine energy projects that the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) has supported across the country by viewing the office’s interactive projects map.

Upcoming Deadlines

Announcements & Opportunities

Concept Paper Deadline Approaches for WPTO’s $10 Million Funding Opportunity to Advance Marine Energy Innovation: Deadlines are approaching for the $10 million funding opportunity from the WPTO focused on accelerating the development and testing of marine energy technologies with a focus on wave and ocean current resources. This opportunity will invest in projects that advance wave-powered technology innovation and research and development for seawater desalination, as well as a feasibility assessment for an ocean-current test facility. The deadline to submit concept papers is Dec. 2, 2022, at 5 p.m. ET, and full applications are due Feb. 24, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET. More information can be found on DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Funding Opportunity Exchange.

WPTO Announces $35 Million in Funding to Advance Tidal and River Current Energy Systems: WPTO issued a notice of intent that proposes $35 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance tidal and river current energy systems. The funding opportunity is the largest investment in tidal and river-current energy technologies in the United States. The funding opportunity is expected to be released in early 2023 and aims to develop a tidal or river current research, development, and demonstration site and support in-water demonstration of at least one tidal energy system. More information can be found on EERE Exchange.

Marine Energy Graduate Student Research Program Applications Due Next Week: WPTO and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education are accepting applications for the Marine Energy Graduate Student Research Program. The program is now accepting applications from all graduate-level (master’s and doctoral) students. The program is designed to advance the students’ marine-energy-focused theses by providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at DOE offices, national laboratories, industry partners, and other approved facilities. Applications are due Dec. 2, 2022. 

EERE Releases Water Power SBIR/STTR Topics: EERE released water power topic selections for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs offer competitively-awarded grants to small businesses to support scientific excellence and technological innovation.

DOE Seeks Input on New Program to Improve Energy Systems in Rural or Remote Communities: The deadline is approaching to reply to the request for information from DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations focused on gathering input on the new Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $1 billion for this new program, which aims to strengthen the resilience, reliability, and availability of energy systems in rural or remote communities across the United States. DOE welcomes public input from a wide range of stakeholders, including energy project developers, utilities, community organizations, environmental justice organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments, to shape this program. The deadline for comments is Dec. 5, 2022, at noon ET. 

Applications Due Soon for SULI Summer 2023: The SULI program encourages undergraduate students and recent graduates to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at the DOE laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 17 participating DOE laboratories/facilities. They perform research, under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers, on projects supporting the DOE mission. The deadline to submit an application for the summer 2023 term is Jan. 10, 2023 at 5 p.m. ET.

Applications Open for Next Round of TEAMER Technical Support: The TEAMER program is accepting applications for its next RFTS through March 3, 2023. The access period for teams to utilize facilities for RFTS 9 is August 2023–April 2024. Sponsored by WPTO and directed by the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust, TEAMER offers marine energy stakeholders and developers access to the nation’s best facilities and expertise to support technology development and testing. Apply for the next round today, and learn about the latest technical support recipients.

Upcoming Events

WPTO Webinar on New Funding for Water Power in SBIR/STTR

Dec. 1, 2022, 2–3 p.m. ET, Virtual

Join WPTO to learn more about the water-power-focused topics/subtopics in the Nov. 7, 2022, SBIR and STTR programs Phase I Release 2 for Fiscal Year 2023. Questions may be submitted prior to the webinar to WaterPowerTechnologiesOffice@ee.doe.gov.

Register for the webinar.

EnergyTech University Prize Informational Webinar

Dec. 6, 2022, 3–4 p.m. ET, Virtual

The EnergyTech University Prize is a collegiate competition challenging multidisciplinary student teams to develop and present a business plan that leverages DOE national-laboratory-developed and other high-potential energy technologies. As part of the American-Made Challenges program, the EnergyTech University Prize awards a total of $370,000 in cash prizes to teams that successfully identify an energy technology, assess its market potential, and propose a strategy for commercialization. Join this informational webinar to learn about how the competition works, what prizes you could win, and much more. 

Register for the webinar.

American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting

Dec. 12–16, 2022, Chicago, Illinois, and Online

Every year, the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting unites the Earth and space science community to share findings, connect like-minded scientists from around the world, and advance the impact of science. More than 25,000 attendees from more than 100 countries will convene to explore how science leads the future. WPTO will be exhibiting at the fall meeting in Chicago. Stop by booth 1751 to learn about the latest research and development efforts, news, and funding opportunities from WPTO.

Register for the event.

Products & Publications

Meet the 2022 Marine Energy Graduate Student Research Program Participants:

  • Claire Gonzales: One hundred feet below the surface of the ocean, Claire was amazed by the overwhelming pink hue created by a wall of strawberry anemones. Learn how this moment combined with a love of science set her on a path to pursue marine science and protect the ocean she loves.
  • Habilou Ouro-Koura: As a child in Togo, Habilou created miniature cars out of milk cans and explored how electronic toys flashed and sang. Now, he is harnessing ocean thermal energy, a form of marine energy, to power  uncrewed underwater vehicles. Read about the obstacles he overcame in his journey to achieve his childhood dream of becoming an engineer.
  • Chris Ruhl: Despite always being interested in building blocks and tinkering toys, it was football, not childhood tinkering, that brought him to mechanical engineering. See how in one summer, Chris’ love for football set him on a path to explore how turbulence might impact tidal energy devices at potential sites around the world.

WPTO Celebrates National STEM Day: STEM fields offer opportunities for people from many different backgrounds. To celebrate National STEM Day on Nov. 8, 2022, WPTO shared resources, tools, and opportunities that can help people of all ages interested in pursuing a clean energy career in water power. From STEM workforce development portals to learning about the basics on Renewable Energy Discovery Island see how you can get involved in marine energy today. 

New Multilab Video Features Overview on PRIMRE: Watch a new video overview on the Portal and Repository for Information on Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMRE) to learn how the database consolidates and organizes information about marine energy into an easily accessible, centralized online portal. PRIMRE was created through a partnership between DOE, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

New Podcast Examines the Capabilities and Potential of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles: Hear from Sandia National Laboratory’s Kelley Ruehl on this episode of the Voices from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) podcast series, discusses DARPA’s Manta Ray program, which seeks to demonstrate innovative technologies allowing payload-capable, autonomous, unmanned, underwater vehicles to operate on long-duration, long-range missions in ocean environments without the need for on-site human logistics support or maintenance. Such autonomous vehicles could enhance our understanding of the oceans.

Powering the Blue Economy Video Series: Explore the latest videos on the blue economy:

  • Powering the Blue Economy: Overview: The Powering the Blue Economy (PBE) initiative was created to help protect, understand, and leverage the immense power and promise of the oceans to help achieve collective economic, social, and environmental goals. Watch the video to learn more about the PBE initiative.
  • Powering the Blue Economy: Connecting Communities: Transitioning to a clean energy economy looks different for every community, and the ocean will have a critical role in that transition in coastal and maritime communities, in particular. See how the PBE initiative is working with these communities to advance marine energy technologies and create a more sustainable future.
  • Powering the Blue Economy: Prizes, R&D, and Partners: Teamwork makes the dream work! See how the PBE initiative is working with partners across the industry and creating competitions, partnerships, and research and development opportunities to spur innovation in marine energy.

In Case You Missed It

Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship infographic showing where fellows worked.

DOE Announces Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship Selections: DOE announced 19 institutions that will host fellows as part of the new Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship program. The program, which is funded by several DOE offices, including WPTO, matches recent graduates and energy professionals with public utility commissions, municipal and rural cooperative utilities, and grid operators, with whom they will spend 1–2 years advancing innovative clean energy solutions. The $6 million program seeks to increase access to clean energy career opportunities and accelerate the national transition to a resilient and affordable clean energy economy.

With Marine Power, It's Not the Size of Your Turbine, It's the Motion of the Ocean: WPTO Director Jennifer Garson and Marine Energy Program Manager Tim Ramsey talked about marine energy in this recent article from Esquire magazine. They discussed how WPTO is helping the industry advance research and development and address challenges in areas such as permitting and testing. The article also covered marine energy’s potential to both help power a clean energy grid and assist in other ways, such as disaster relief.

Social Spotlight

WPTO on LinkedIn — Nov. 10, 2022

A beach sunrise.

Are you a graduate student with a marine energy-focused research thesis or dissertation at a U.S. institution? If so, you may be interested in applying to the Marine Energy Graduate Student Research Program! Learn more and submit your application by Dec 2:  https://lnkd.in/dP2aC8ya

Follow along on the EERE Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook channels for more #WaterWednesday content each week.

WPTO in the News

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