PG&E Suspends WaveConnect Project
On October 28, 2010, Pacific Gas & Electric ("PG&E") announced that it was suspending development of its Humboldt WaveConnect Pilot Project (FERC Docket No. P-12779) off of the Northern California coast. The company stated that "several major challenges made the project unviable at its current location and configuation." However, "PG&E remains committed to [wave energy] technology."
In fact, PG&E will continue its work to determine the feasibility of its proposed Central Coast project (FERC Docket No. P-13641). The Central Coast project is proposed in 45 square miles of coastal waters off the coast of Santa Barbara County, California. PG&E submitted its preliminary permit application in December 2009, and was awarded its preliminary permit on May 14, 2010.
The hydrokinetic industry has come a long way in the last few years and some bumps in the road should be expected as the industry works toward the commercial deployment of projects in state and federal waters of the United States. However, the federal government continues to "put its money where its mouth is" when it comes of offshore renewable energy development. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $5 million to eight research projects related to offshore development through a joint solicitation.
DOE Designates New Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center
The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") continued its support of marine and hydrokinetic ("MHK") technology development on Tuesday, announcing that Florida Atlantic University has been designated as the nation's third national center for ocean energy research and development. The Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center ("SNMREC") joins centers in the Northwest, at the University of Washington and Oregon State University (jointly, the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center) and in Hawai'i, at the University of Hawai'i.
With an additional $250,000 grant from DOE, the SNMREC will continue to focus research efforts on technologies designed to convert ocean currents like the Gulf Stream as well as ocean thermal energy into electricity for the grid. On a personal note, I had the opportunity to visit FAU's Dania Beach (SeaTech) campus in November 2009 to take part in the USNC TAG/TC-114 "Marine Energy- Wave and Tidal Energy Converters" international standards process. I was impressed by the students, faculty, and the facilities at the Institute for Ocean and Systems Engineering and I look forward to seeing FAU excel in its new role.
DOI/DOE MOU for Offshore Renewable Energy Projects, Part 2
To follow up on my colleague Janet Jacobs' blog on this exciting topic, here's some more detailed information about the MOU, especially as it relates to marine and hydrokinetic ("MHK") technologies:
The United States Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (“EERE”) and the United States Department of the Interior’s newly-renamed Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (“BOEMRE”) (see Note below) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Coordinated Deployment of Offshore Wind and Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy Technologies on the United States Outer Continental Shelf (the “MOU”).
The purpose of the document is to prioritize and facilitate environmentally-responsible deployment of commercial-scale offshore wind and MHK energy technologies on the Outer Continental Shelf (the “OCS”) through collaborative efforts. In a recent blog, I mentioned that the DOE has committed $15.36 million to help researchers and developers alike to bring various MHK technologies closer to commercial deployment. This MOU represents yet another effort to spur the growth of the burgeoning offshore renewable energy industry.
An interagency working group has been tasked with developing an action plan that addresses the deployment of offshore renewable energy projects, including both offshore wind and MHK technologies, within 30 days. The action plan will outline how the BOEMRE and EERE can work together to streamline leasing and regulatory processes on the OCS for those sites with high energy resource potential. The MOU also outlines how the agencies will share information and undertake collaborative activities such as stakeholder engagement, technical and environmental research, joint evaluation of standards and timelines for development, and the dissemination of information to decision makers.
Note: On June 21, 2010, DOI Secretary Ken Salazar issued Order 3302 renaming the Minerals Management Serivce the BOEMRE.
DOE Unveils Hydrodynamic Testing Facilities Database
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Wind and Hydropower Technologies program recently unveiled a new database containing information on the test capabilities and services of a variety of U.S. hydrodynamic test facilities.
The first-of-its-kind database encompasses 81 commercial, academic, and government facilities and offshore berths in 18 states, and will directly facilitate the testing of technologies designed to extract energy from waves and the currents of oceans, tides, and rivers. The database will serve as a platform for marine and hydrokinetic technology developers to identify a U.S. facility where they can test and validate their prototype devices. Users can find out more information on dimensions, costs, and available personnel, as well as available sensors and applicable software used to gather and present data gathered during in-water testing.
For more information, please contact Cherise Oram.
DOE Issues Draft Report on Environmental Effects of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy Projects
The Department of Energy’s Draft Report to Congress on the Environmental Effects of Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy Projects is now available for public comment. The report, prepared pursuant to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (“EISA”), describes (1) the potential environmental impacts of marine and hydrokinetic energy technologies; (2) options to mitigate and prevent adverse environmental impacts; (3) the role of monitoring and adaptive management; and (4) the key elements of an adaptive management program. Comments are due on December 9, 2008.
The EISA report describes the various conceptual designs for generating electricity from ocean waves, river and tidal currents, and ocean thermal energy conversion, and identifies several “common elements” among the technologies that it asserts could yield adverse environmental effects. The report’s analyses are based largely on predictive studies or environmental assessments that have not yet been verified. As a result, the EISA report is not a definitive assessment of known environmental impacts, but rather an effort to highlight potential areas of concern for further monitoring and testing.
The EISA report also lists several strategies for mitigating and preventing risks of potential environmental impacts associated with marine and hydrokinetic energy projects. Advocating that more research and testing is needed, it stresses the importance of using post-installation environmental monitoring and adaptive management to confirm the extent of anticipated impacts and determine appropriate methods to avoid, minimize, or mitigate for any unacceptable adverse effects.
