Wave-energy project halted


NFPA 70E Training

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$199
Coupon Price:
$149
Reserve Your Seat Today
A small wave-energy project off Washington's northwest coast won't be built after its British Columbia-based developer decided to halt all wave-energy projects and focus instead on wind power.

The one-megawatt project planned for Makah Bay in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary was the country's first wave-energy project to receive an operating license. Its developer, Finavera Renewables, also pulled permits for a larger project it had planned off the Northern California coast.

Such projects use buoys equipped with turbines that harness the power of the rolling waves to generate electricity.

Finavera declined to comment about why it decided to give up its wave-energy projects, but officials said its most pressing concern is finishing a handful of wind projects in Canada and Ireland.

The company's wave-power buoy sank unexpectedly during a test run more than a year ago off the Oregon coast, and the plans to place four buoys in Makah Bay have lagged because of state and federal permitting.

Finavera's decision isn't surprising given the wave-energy industry's infancy compared with wind, which now has honed its turbine technology and lowered power costs, said Roger Bedard, ocean-energy leader with the nonprofit Electric Power Research Institute.

Bedard said he was optimistic that wave-device testing and planned commercial projects by different companies and Oregon State University off the Oregon coast will propel the young field forward.

Related News

Fuel Cell Electric Buses Coming to Mississauga

Mississauga Fuel Cell Electric Buses advance zero-emission public transit, leveraging hydrogen fuel cells, green hydrogen…
View more

Trudeau vows to regulate oil and gas emissions, electric car sales

Canada Oil and Gas Emissions Cap sets five-year targets to cut sector emissions toward net-zero…
View more

Hydro One, Avista to ask U.S. regulator to reconsider order against acquisition

Hydro One Avista Takeover faces Washington UTC scrutiny as regulators deny approval; companies plan a…
View more

U.S. Ends Support for Ukraine’s Energy Grid Restoration

US Termination of Ukraine Energy Grid Support signals a policy shift: USAID halts aid for…
View more

Electricity exports to New York from Quebec will happen as early as 2025: Hydro-Quebec

Hertel-New York Interconnection delivers Hydro-Quebec renewable energy via a cross-border transmission line to New York…
View more

Four Facts about Covid and U.S. Electricity Consumption

COVID-19 Impact on U.S. Electricity Consumption shows commercial and industrial demand dropped as residential use…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Live Online & In-person Group Training

Advantages To Instructor-Led Training – Instructor-Led Course, Customized Training, Multiple Locations, Economical, CEU Credits, Course Discounts.

Request For Quotation

Whether you would prefer Live Online or In-Person instruction, our electrical training courses can be tailored to meet your company's specific requirements and delivered to your employees in one location or at various locations.