First commercial U.S. wave energy plant passes environmental hurdle

Finavera Renewables of Canada and its subsidiary AquaEnergy are a step closer to developing the United States’ first commercial wave energy power plant, with successful completion of the Environmental Assessment process.

AquaEnergy is developing the Makah Bay Offshore Wave project in Washington State to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of wave energy conversion power plants in using ocean resources to generate clean, renewable energy.

The Makah Bay Wave Energy Pilot Project is to use the company's patented ‘AquaBuOY’s. AquaBuOYs are modular devices with a nameplate power rating of 250 kW, grouped together three miles offshore. A consortium formed for the project includes the Makah Indian Nation, Clallam County Public Utility District (‘PUD’), Washington State University, Bonneville Power Administration through the Northwest Energy Innovation Center, Clallam County Economic Development Council, and AquaEnergy.

According to Fred Mitchell, Telecommunications and Power Resources Manager, Clallam County PUD, “The renewable power produced by the project will contribute to the generation mix in the region. This energy source also aligns with Clallam County PUD’s objective to provide clean energy to customers.”

The Environmental Assessment, known as a PDEA, (the ‘Assessment’), prepared by Devine Tarbell & Associates, a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) qualified assessor, concluded that “the Makah Bay Project represents the first of its kind pilot wave energy project in the nation to involve the FERC licensing process. The assessment resulted in Findings of No Significant Environmental Effects from the proposed pilot project”

AquaEnergy is following the FERC’s Alternative Licensing Process and is filing this Preliminary Draft Environmental Assessment with an application for an original FERC license. This filing is imminent, and will make the Makah Bay Pilot Project the furthest-along wave energy project in the United States.

Since the project inception in 2001, AquaEnergy conducted meetings with environmental groups, fisherman’s associations, and commercial and recreational users of Makah Bay. AquaEnergy’s model approach involving the public was a result of early action in ocean energy project development.

The AquaEnergy offshore plant is to consist of patented wave energy converters, AquaBuOYs, based on heaving buoy point absorber and hose-pump technologies. Clusters of these small, modular devices will be moored several miles offshore where wave power is greater. The resulting offshore power plants are scalable from hundreds of kilowatts to hundreds of megawatts. They are suitable for distributed generation to coastal communities, or central generation for large population centers.

The mechanical portion of the Makah Bay pilot power plant will consist of four low-profile moored buoys, AquaBuOY, placed 3.2 nautical miles offshore in water depths of 150-250 feet, to transform wave energy into usable electrical energy. The Makah Bay pilot power plant is projected to deliver 1500MWh annually.