A small test site miles off the Oregon coast will soon generate electricity with the motion of the ocean.
PacWave, as the site’s called, is not expected to produce much energy, but its technologies there hold a lot of potential. And last month the Bonneville Power Administration, which supplies about a third of the Pacific Northwest’s energy, agreed to buy whatever electricity it generates, confirmed Dan Hellin, director of the test site. Electricity could begin flowing by next fall.
The concept is simple: Use the up and down motion of ocean waves (or tides) to move turbines and generate electricity, Hellin said. It’s a consistent source of energy and doesn’t generate any planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
PacWave, off the coast of Newport, Ore., started in earnest about 14 years ago as part of a partnership between Oregon State University and Oregon Sea Grant, Hellin said. For years, these organizations worked to find the right place for the project, drum up community support, design and build the site.
Now, they have some 47 miles of undersea cable — each nearly 4 inches thick — running out into the ocean and back to an onshore substation, which will pipe the electricity back into the regional grid, Hellin said. In all, PacWave has four test slots available for companies who want to set up shop and test their own designs on a smaller scale before moving up to a utility-sized project.
PacWave already has two companies lined up to test their technologies at the site, Hellin said. And when the facility is fully booked, it has the potential to generate about 20 megawatts of electricity. For context, one megawatt is enough to power about 800 homes for a year.
Anna-Marie Laura, senior director of climate policy at the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy, celebrated PacWave’s forward progress. In the long run, she said wave and tidal electricity has the potential to make up nearly 6% of the country’s generating capacity.
“That would power 22 million homes,” Laura said.
Plus, wave and tidal energy can be generated in ways that protect the environment and biodiversity of the ocean and the communities they power, Laura said. They might also make for valuable energy sources for remote coastal, island or tribal communities who otherwise have limited access to power sources.
Some have raised questions about whether the technology could harm underwater ecosystems or shipping traffic, though wave technology hasn't garnered nearly as much attention or controversy as other renewable energy options.
More specifically, the federal government under President Donald Trump is aggressively targeting wind and solar energy. Federal officials have pushed to block the permitting of renewable projects — especially offshore wind — across the country, instead doubling down on fossil fuels.
But wave and tidal energy appear to have the government’s support at the moment, Hellin said. This summer, Department of Energy Director Chris Wright approved PacWave’s transition into the operational phase, so officials with the test site are cautiously optimistic for the years ahead.
This is the only test site of its kind in the country, Hellin said, and one of only a few across the world.
Federal officials further signaled their support with Bonneville’s power purchase agreement, Hellin said. Usually the federal utility requires new energy projects to produce a certain amount of electricity before agreeing to buy it. But here, there was no such minimum, he said.
Such an open-ended agreement helps PacWave open for business and, hopefully, attract new companies wanting to test their designs, Hellin said.
Bonneville officials couldn’t be reached for comment, likely due to the governmentwide shutdown as Congress argues over a federal budget. But Hellin said the shutdown shouldn’t hinder PacWave’s ability to move forward, instead the group is focused on helping developers install their designs in the water so the power can start flowing within a year.
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