, it is only set up for specific types of the technology. The Oregon site, meanwhile, can support almost any type of system. Although many early wave energy projects will depend on federal grants, Hales said, the hope is that the testing facility will also allow companies to attract venture capitalists and angel investors by proving devices’ technological feasibility.
Bill Staby, who founded the Boston-based wave energy company Resolute Marine Energy in 2007, knows from experience that a key barrier for companies like his is getting permission to test in a real-world ocean environment. Much of Resolute Marine Energy’s testing so far has taken place in wave tanks and labs, but those scenarios can’t demonstrate the device’s ability to weather rough ocean conditions.
One of the unique capabilities of wave energy is that it is more easily scalable to smaller communities, said Dan Kammen, professor of energy at the University of California, Berkeley. While wind projects typically produce energy on a gigawatt scale, wave energy devices have the potential to be installed on a megawatt scale and used to power small, remote coastal communities, he said.