Portland-based Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) has been awarded with a $5.3 million grant by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in the latest round of funding . The company will use the funds to complete the commercial design of its TidGen Power System, according to Penobscot Bay Pilot.
ORPC will enhance the performance of its tidal turbine system by integrating several advanced component technologies. The device’s floating design will move the turbine near the surface to capture higher flow velocities and will help reduce the cost of installation and on-water operations, ultimately lowering the cost of energy, the DOE said on its website.
The project will demonstrate and monitor turbine performance during its deployment in the Western Passage off the coast of Maine.
In July, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a preliminary permit for the Western Passage Tidal Energy Project to ORPC after the company filed an application for a preliminary permit to study the feasibility of the proposed project in December 2015.