Maine commercial project to deploy tidal energy

The Energy Department on 24 July saw the first commercial, grid-connected tidal energy project U.S.. The pilot operation off the coast of Eastport, Maine, is an investment of $10 million from the Department of energy uses. Ocean renewable power company will provide its first commercial tidal energy device in Cobscook Bay this summer.

Tidal energy is a clean, renewable resource that can be used where ever changing tides move a significant number of water, including on the coasts of many cities in the United States where it high electricity demand. In the vicinity of Maine, one of the most robust tidal energy resources in the world, the Bay of Fundy as 100 billion tons of water flow inside and outside of the Bay is daily. Initially, the pilot project of Cobscook Bay will provide enough electricity from renewable energy sources to power between 75 and 100 houses. In addition to this Department of energy supports pilot ORPC plans to expand his Maine project and install additional tidal energy devices for the supply of more than 1,000 Maine homes and businesses.

This year a published tidal energy resource assessment, identifying about 250 TWh of annual electricity generation from tidal energy nationwide. Tidal energy is a great opportunity for new water power development in the United States, especially along the East Coast as well as in Alaska and Hawaii. See the press release of Ministry of energy and water power program Web site.

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Maine Project Takes Historic Step Forward in U.S. Tidal Energy Deployment

A pilot project that will generate electricity from Maine's ocean tides could be a game-changer for America's tidal energy industry at-large.

At the direction of the Maine Public Utilities Commission, three of the state's electricity distributors will purchase electricity generated by Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC)—the company leading the Maine pilot project. Once finalized, the contracts will be in place for 20 years, making them the first long-term tidal energy power purchase agreements in the United States. The implications of these agreements are far-reaching, helping to advance the commercialization of tidal energy technologies. The project, which has brought more than $14 million into Maine's economy and has created or helped retain more than 100 jobs, is supported by $10 million in funding from the Energy Department.

For the pilot phase of the project, ORPC will deploy cross flow turbine devices in Cobscook Bay, at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. These devices are designed to generate electricity over a range of water currents, capturing energy on both ebb and flood tides without the need for repositioning. To read the complete story, see the DOE Energy Blog.

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DOE reports potential for wave and tidal power generation

DOE published on 18th January two resource reviews indicate that waves and coastal tidal currents at the U.S. much could contribute electricity generation. Particularly high potential for wave energy development has the West Coast, including Alaska and Hawaii, while there are great opportunities for the wave energy on the East Coast. In addition, parts of both coasts have strong tides, which could be used to generate energy. In combination with other analyses, these evaluations show that water power 15% of U.S. electricity by the year 2030 could.

Of electricity per year about 4,000 terawatt hours (TWh) uses the United States. DOE estimates that the maximum theoretical electrical generation generated by waves and tidal currents around 1,420 TWh per year could be about a third of the country's total annual consumption. Although not all of the possible resource identified in these realistic assessments can be developed, a new water power development, highlighting opportunities still significant results are specific ways, to the 6% that already the nation power out to expand hydropower resources.

In addition to the wave and tidal resource reviews plans DOE of additional resources of assessments for ocean current, ocean of thermal gradients and new water power resources in the year 2012. To support the development of technologies that can tap into these massive resources, DOE's water is power program a detailed technical and economic assessment of companies to more accurately predict a variety of water power technologies, the opportunities and cost of development and deployment of this innovative technology. The program supports more than 40 demonstration projects that will advance the commercial readiness of these systems; provide first-of-a-kind performance data that will verify the cost of energy predictions in the water; and to identify ways for great cost savings. Progress, see the DOE attention and water power program website.

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