Sep 16 2010
Steven Chu, US Energy Secretary has declared an investment of $37 million in hydrokinetic energy and marine technologies. He has announced a total of 27 projects that are designed to increase expansion and full-scale deployment of renewable energy know-how that will allow production of electric power from streams, rivers and oceans.
The various projects will be guided by national laboratories, educational universities and other entities. The range of improvements includes developing ideas, introducing development models in water testing.
Ocean Power Technologies is one such company that is getting $2.4 million funding for installing a full-fledged 150 kW PowerBuoy prototype system in Oregon and a further funding of $2.4 million to introduce a model design for its 500 kW PB500 PowerBuoy device meant for wave energy power production. The company is matching the sanctioned funding with its other funds to complete the project. Similarly, Ocean Renewable Power is anticipated to receive $10 million grant to construct, establish, operate and supervise the commercial production of five TidGen generators located off Maine Coast. This project is expected to install a full-fledged grid-linked tidal energy power production system that operates at 150 ft depth of the ocean.
Another such project that will receive $10 million funding from the US Department of Energy is a $20.1 million project that uses full-fledged grid-linked tidal power system that is located at Puget Sound away from the coast of Washington. The facility will install and test two 10 m open centre turbines formulated and produced by OpenHydro Group. The turbines are designed to produce 1 MW electric power at peak tidal currents and produce a regular output of 100 kW during normal times.
Source: http://www.energy.gov/