The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced its decision to issue the first lease for a wave energy research project in federal waters off the West Coast, calling the development “another step forward in achieving the Biden administration’s goals to address climate change and promote offshore renewable energy production.”
The lease, issued to Oregon State University, covers a 2.65 square mile area located ~6 nautical miles off Newport, OR. The project will test up to 20 wave energy converters that are floating or underwater and moored to the seafloor, and will include four test berths and an installed capacity of up to 20 megawatts. The lease is necessary before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission can approve project construction and operations.
BOEM Director Amanda Lefton said that the project “offers exciting potential to demonstrate the viability of wave energy technology and expand the nation’s renewable energy portfolio.”
