The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) this week selected two additional projects, which will get funds to demonstrate wave energy converter component technologies.
Dresser-Rand will develop and test a power take-off component that converts pneumatic power into electricity for oscillating water columns, which are devices that generate energy from ocean waves.
Columbia Power Technologies will optimize, build, and test a lightweight, cost-effective composite hull for a wave energy converter device.
These projects are part of the Energy Department’s overall efforts to deploy innovative technologies for clean, domestic power generation from water power resources.
Last year, the Energy Department announced 17 projects that aim to increase the power production and reliability of m arine and hydrokinetic energy ( MHK) devices and help gather valuable data on how deployed systems interact with wildlife and the surrounding ocean environment.
Check out the Department’s video on m arine and hydrokinetic energy:
Press release, April 18, 2014; Image: Columbia Power Technologies