Research and ocean testing solutions to advance the wave energy industry

This paper presents the wave energy research thrusts as well as the development of novel scaled and full-scale ocean testing solutions through the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC) headquartered at Oregon State University (OSU). NNMREC performs fundamental technological, social, and environmental research, in addition to providing unique testing facilities. Testing resources include a wave energy linear test bed, 2D and 3D wave tanks, an Ocean Sentinel instrumentation buoy to facilitate open-ocean testing without a cable-to-shore grid connection, as well as developing cable-to-shore grid emulator and grid-connect facilities. All of NNMREC´s marine energy converter testing facilities are being branded as the Pacific Marine Energy Center (PMEC), including the scaled lab testing facilities and intermediate and full-scale open water testing facilities. This paper includes an overview of ongoing NNMREC research and advancing ocean testing solutions as well as the 2012 and 2013 Ocean Sentinel deployments, along with the associated testing of materials and technologies for biofouling resistant surfaces.