Tidal energy gets Congressional attention
Published on Tue, Dec 15, 2009 by Beckye RandallRead More Local News
Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) served as one of the key witnesses during testimony December 3 before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, which is exploring the potential for harnessing energy from waves, tidal flows, and ocean and river currents. The PUD plans to deploy a tidal energy pilot plant in the Puget Sound as early as 2011.
Craig Collar, the PUD's Senior Manager for Energy Resource Development, shared information about the utility's tidal energy research efforts at five sites in the Puget Sound. The PUD has emerged as one of the nation's leaders in the research and development of this green energy resource, and has secured more than $2.5 million for its research efforts from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Bonneville Power Administration and other federal appropriations.
"We believe that tidal energy has the potential to contribute significantly as part of a richly diversified clean energy portfolio," said Collar. "As we assess the technical, economic and environmental viability of ocean energy generation, the most effective means to gather data is through the responsible deployment, testing and monitoring of utility-scale ocean energy devices. Successful tidal energy demonstration projects in the Puget Sound may enable significant commercial development, resulting in important benefits for the Pacific Northwest and the country as we look to increase our use of clean, renewable energy resources."
The PUD is studying five tidal energy sites in the Puget Sound, which, if developed, could produce enough energy for up to 70,000 homes. The utility launched a comprehensive study in 2007 to assess the technical, economic and environmental viability of the underwater sites.
The utility's tidal studies have been bolstered through several technical partnerships, including with the University of Washington, the Electric Power Research Institute, the National Renewable Energy Lab and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Marine Sciences Laboratory. The utility also is partnering with several organizations on a DOE-funded study of killer whales, sea lions, harbor porpoises and other aquatic life in the Puget Sound. The research is being supported by work from the Sea Mammal Research Unit, Beam Reach Marine Science and Sustainability School, the Whale Museum and the Orca Network.
Craig Collar, the PUD's Senior Manager for Energy Resource Development, shared information about the utility's tidal energy research efforts at five sites in the Puget Sound. The PUD has emerged as one of the nation's leaders in the research and development of this green energy resource, and has secured more than $2.5 million for its research efforts from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Bonneville Power Administration and other federal appropriations.
"We believe that tidal energy has the potential to contribute significantly as part of a richly diversified clean energy portfolio," said Collar. "As we assess the technical, economic and environmental viability of ocean energy generation, the most effective means to gather data is through the responsible deployment, testing and monitoring of utility-scale ocean energy devices. Successful tidal energy demonstration projects in the Puget Sound may enable significant commercial development, resulting in important benefits for the Pacific Northwest and the country as we look to increase our use of clean, renewable energy resources."
The PUD is studying five tidal energy sites in the Puget Sound, which, if developed, could produce enough energy for up to 70,000 homes. The utility launched a comprehensive study in 2007 to assess the technical, economic and environmental viability of the underwater sites.
The utility's tidal studies have been bolstered through several technical partnerships, including with the University of Washington, the Electric Power Research Institute, the National Renewable Energy Lab and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Marine Sciences Laboratory. The utility also is partnering with several organizations on a DOE-funded study of killer whales, sea lions, harbor porpoises and other aquatic life in the Puget Sound. The research is being supported by work from the Sea Mammal Research Unit, Beam Reach Marine Science and Sustainability School, the Whale Museum and the Orca Network.
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