By Salem Weekly Editors
from Salem Weekly, Section News
Posted on Tue May 03, 2011 at 11:55:37 PM PDT
Newport will soon be the first place in the United States to have a wave energy test program. The Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center, a collaboration of Oregon State University and the University of Washington, announced their decision in late April.
The site will be around one square mile in size, two miles northwest of Yaquina Head in water that is 150-180 feet deep. The facility is being funded by both the state of Oregon and the U.S. Department of Energy.
“If all of our plans and permits are approved, we hope to have the test facility available for wave energy developers to use by this fall,” said Annette von Jouanne, an OSU professor of electrical engineering and leader with the university’s wave energy research programs.
The site will also be used to study any potential environmental impacts on sediments and sea life. A release from the group said that it will not initially be connected to the land-based electrical grid.
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