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Energy in Oregon

​​Marine Energy in Oregon​

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  • Emerging technology
  • Two test sites: one operating, one under development
  • Excellent resource potential off of Oregon coast



Marine energy can be harnessed from the movement of water or wind, then generated into electricity. Learn more about marine and wave energy in our Biennial Energy Report.


Marine Energy Potential

Marine energy encompasses both wave power – i.e., power from surface waves – and tidal power, which is obtained from the kinetic energy of large bodies of moving water. Oregon’s coast has among the best marine energy resources in the world, making it an ideal location for developing marine energy. 

According to a 2011 study by the Electric Power Research Institute, Oregon’s total annual available wave energy in the inner shelf alone is equal to 143 billion kilowatt-hours per year – enough energy to power about 28 million homes.

Oregon’s Renewable Portfolio Standard recognizes marine energy as an eligible resource. In 2007, the Oregon Innovation Council selected wave energy as an economic innovation focus. As a result of funding from the OIC, the Oregon Wave Energy Trust was established with the goal of responsible development of wave energy projects in Oregon.

 

Oregon Activity

While there are no marine energy projects yet in commercial operation in Oregon, the state is a global leader in the research and development of these technologies. These efforts have been led by Oregon State University, which received a $40 million award from U.S. DOE in 2016 to develop a utility-scale, grid-connected marine energy test site. That award followed an earlier $4 million award from U.S. DOE in 2012, which established two test sites as part of the Pacific Marine Energy Center​

The North Energy Test Site is located two nautical miles from shore, north of Newport, and is not grid connected. The site tests wave energy devices that are connected to the Ocean Sentinel buoy, which collects data on the devices and is powered by the electricity generated from the attached wave energy device. The site measures power generated and characteristics of the wind, waves, and current. 

The South Energy Test Site, rebranded in September 2018 as PacWave, is currently under development as the first grid-connected wave energy test site in the United States. PacWave is located five nautical miles off shore between Newport and Waldport. Oregon State University submitted its Draft License Application and Preliminary Draft References: 59 Biennial Energy Report Chapter 1— Page 35 Environmental Assessment for the PacWave site to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in April 2018. Pending approval of U.S. DOE funding from Congress, PacWave is expected to be operational by 2020 and will be able to test utility-scale wave energy devices in the ocean. These wave generators will be connected via subsea cable to the Central Lincoln PUD electric grid. This site will enable four separate wave energy devices to be tested simultaneously. 

Energy and Transmission Needs

Most of Oregon’s electricity demand is west of the Cascades, while much of the electricity generation is east of the Cascades in the form of hydroelectric dams and fossil-fuel plants. Transmission lines that cross the Coast Range are all owned by the Bonneville Power Administration and transfer power east-to-west. There is no significant power generation on the coast to bolster those lines. Local generating resources could safeguard the system against problems such as outages and overloads, and preserve a local utility’s ability to deliver electricity to its customers.

Marine energy projects can provide more consistent power production than solar or land-based wind because they are relatively constant and change seasonally. The potential for generating wave energy off of Oregon’s coast is strongest during the winter months, which coincides with peak electricity demand in coastal communi​ties. Wind patterns over the ocean are typically stronger and more consistent than wind patterns on land. These winds have the potential of producing steady energy and significantly larger amounts of electricity than land-based wind installations, even with increased wind speeds of only a few miles per hour.

 

Regulation

Within three nautical miles of the state's coastline is the Oregon Territorial Sea, which is under state jurisdiction. Beyond the Territorial Sea boundary is the Outer Continental Shelf, which is under federal jurisdiction.

If a marine energy project is located in Oregon’s Territorial Sea it must follow the regulatory structure laid out in Part 5 of the Territorial Sea Plan, in addition to other state permits and standards. If a project is in federal waters, it must receive a lease from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.​


Learn more about energy in Oregon in our 2022 Biennial ​Energy Report.​​

Resources
Renewable Energy Development Grants​

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​ ​Contact the Planning & Innovation Team:
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