Marine Energy

Two researchers have determined cost-effective ways to purchase these strange, alien legs dropping down to the seafloor—also known as moorings—for a new wave energy test facility currently under construction off the coast of Oregon. Illustration by Josh Bauer, NREL.

Wave Energy Devices Will Soon Head to New Testing Facility—But They Are Missing Something

New Study Identifies Cost-Effective Options To Tether Devices to Ocean Floor

Charles Candon (left) and Rebecca Fao are part of NREL’s testing team, which helps test and hone water power technologies as they journey from model to market. Image by Tara Smith, NREL

Beneath the Surface: Black Boxes, Robot Arms, & a Beloved Wave Tank

Enter the Electrifying World of the Water Power Testing Team From the outside, the Flatirons Campus looks a bit empty, even moonlike — a flat desert plateau with a few roads leading to boxy, modular, warehouse-like buildings. But inside, there is a whir of activity. This is where the future … [continued]

Seven wave energy companies are receiving expert guidance from NREL’s water power researchers. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

Wave Energy Gets Ready for a Big First

Researchers Help Seven Marine Energy Companies Prepare for the Ocean If you tried the egg drop challenge as a kid, this is what you might remember: You built a vessel from straws, cotton balls, and other bits and bobs. Then, you nestled a raw egg inside. And finally, the most … [continued]