FAU Awarded DOE Grant to Test Offshore Ocean Current Energy

Ocean Energy, Turbines, Ocean, Current, Gulf Stream, Blue Energy, Palm Beach County, Renewable Energy, Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center

Researchers test turbines offshore.

By gisele galoustian | 10/29/2024

Imagine harnessing the power of ocean currents to generate clean, renewable energy right off the coast of Southeast Florida. Florida Atlantic University’s Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center (SNMREC) has been awarded an $800,000 grant from the United States Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office to enable the commercial readiness of ocean energy technologies.

SNMREC, in collaboration with a team of experts including The City of Lake Worth Beach Electric Utility, 3U Technologies, 48 North Solutions, IDOM Incorporated, Braid Theory, and the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), is embarking on a groundbreaking feasibility study to set up an ocean current test facility offshore Palm Beach County. The study will be the first of its kind, leveraging world-class marine energy expertise.

“The Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy’s vision for a blue energy hub in Southeast Florida represents a significant step forward in renewable energy technology,” said Gregg Fields, Ph.D., FAU vice president for research. “By establishing a dedicated test facility, we hope to pave the way for a future where ocean currents become a key player in our clean energy landscape. With our strong marine energy industry connections and the expertise of our partners, the region is poised to become a global leader in ocean current energy innovation.”

The project’s end goal is to improve the nation’s competitiveness in marine energy technology, encourage domestic manufacturing, and create jobs while helping to achieve the nation’s energy goals. SNMREC aims to create a blue energy industry cluster in Southeast Florida that covers all aspects of utility-scale ocean current energy projects, including turbine development, undersea cables and marine services, leveraging its role in the ClimateReady Tech Hub and the Marine Research Hub.

No active ocean current test facilities exist globally, though some locations might be suitable. In the U.S., North Carolina is the only other location where the Gulf Stream is close to the coast, but it is not ideal. Similar facilities for tidal and wave energy have been around for decades.

“Southeast Florida is ideal for ocean current energy projects not only because of its favorable ocean current conditions but also due to several supportive socio-economic factors,” said Gabriel Alsenas, principal investigator and director of SNMREC at FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. “Major ports, such as the Port of Palm Beach and Port Everglades, straddle SNMREC’s proposed test site offshore Palm Beach County to provide excellent access. Local utilities such as the City of Lake Worth Beach’s municipal utility and Florida Power & Light offer essential grid connections and support for a clean energy transition. Additionally, SNMREC has a strong network and extensive experience assisting current energy conversion technologies developers at various stages, further enhancing the region’s attractiveness for these projects.”

Ocean energy from waves, currents and gradients can be harnessed to provide electricity and help coastal areas achieve energy independence. For marine energy to be attractive at a utility-scale, it must be abundant, predictable and consistently available. Of marine energy options, only open ocean currents like the Florida Current offer these characteristics in the U.S. This current, constrained by the Bahamian Shelf, flows close to shore and near major population centers, making it a prime candidate for energy generation. The challenge is developing efficient, reliable, cost-effective technologies to capture its energy.

The project aims to assess the feasibility of a grid-connected offshore test facility in the Florida Current to ensure these technologies can be safely and economically integrated. SNMREC’s strategy focuses on establishing a grid connection as soon as possible, ensuring compatibility with a variety of marine energy and blue economy technologies, phasing future construction to manage risks and costs, integrating regional economic opportunities, and engaging stakeholders throughout the process.

“Before any marine energy project can succeed, it’s crucial to ensure that all aspects of the project can be integrated safely and economically at full scale, which is only possible with a dedicated offshore test facility connected to the grid,” said Alsenas. “Testing prototypes in real-world conditions helps refine technology, confirm performance, and reduce technical and financial risks before projects can be scaled for widespread use.”

The SNMREC team will oversee the project, manage technical deliverables, requirements, risks and cost estimates, and coordinate with the Department of Energy. The City of Lake Worth Beach will assist with grid and shoreside facility compatibility; 3U will prepare specifications for submarine systems and assist with related requirements and cost estimates; and IDOM will oversee shoreside facility specifications and their associated requirements and costs. In addition, 48N will develop a regulatory and permitting plan, and Braid Theory will provide an economic impact analysis. EMEC will support the project with its extensive experience operating and establishing similar marine energy facilities like PacWave.

“A cutting-edge South Florida offshore test facility will serve as a critical proving ground for technologies designed to generate electricity from ocean currents,” said James Sullivan, Ph.D., executive director, FAU Harbor Branch. “But it’s not just about testing turbines. The project aims to address all aspects of developing large-scale ocean current energy projects – including the marine environment, increasing our understanding of our region’s coastal habitats.”

Founded in 2010 as a federal center, SNMREC is one of the nation’s four U.S. Department of Energy Marine Renewable Energy Centers. Since its establishment as a State of Florida Center of Excellence in 2007, it has received more than $25 million in funding. The center has achieved milestones such as securing the first U.S. offshore marine energy lease; conducting extensive turbine tests and research; performing environmental assessments; influencing policy; and training more than 150 students. Now based at FAU Harbor Branch, SNMREC benefits from a well-equipped campus, including a large machine shop, fabrication facilities, a private harbor, and a strong network of industry, university, and National Laboratory partners, positioning it well for developing an offshore marine energy test facility.

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