Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) enables research, testing, development, and commercialization of emerging technologies to advance marine energy, as well as next-generation hydropower and pumped storage systems, for a flexible, reliable grid. This report summarizes the results of a WPTO-sponsored public workshop held virtually on October 5, 2021.
In the first part of the workshop, several industry and university partners presented materials projects and identified gaps that currently prevent marine energy devices from reaching commercial viability. The workshop focused on three major research areas: current energy converters (CECs), conventional wave energy converters (WECs), and unconventional WECs.
The workshop format was as follows:
- Introduction: Marine Energy Technologies: The Materials Landscape (DOE and national laboratories)
- Part I: Marine Energy Materials Project Presentations
- Part II: Breakout Discussions
- Breakout Discussion 1: Wave Energy Converter (WEC) Needs
- Breakout Discussion 2: Tidal and Current Energy Converter (CEC) Needs
- Breakout Discussion 3: Unconventional WECs and Other Needs
- Part III: Report Out and Closing.
After the Part I presentations, attendees participated in breakout discussions to identify key R&D activities for future WPTO materials and manufacturing funding investments across the three research areas. The breakout panels culminated in a “report-out” session, where each group shared a summary of recommendations from the breakout discussions.