The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated over $33 million to boost innovation in marine energy and hydropower projects through its Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO). Here are the main initiatives receiving funding:

🌊 Wave Energy Converter Development: Nearly $25 million will support the development of advanced modeling frameworks for wave energy converters (WECs). This initiative aims to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, facilitating faster technology validation and deployment.

🔄 Current Energy Converter Advancements: Improved simulation tools for current energy converters (CECs) will be developed to increase accuracy in capturing energy from tidal and ocean currents. These advancements aim to lower deployment costs and mitigate risks, promoting commercial scalability.

🔗 Mooring Systems Testing Facility: Sandia National Laboratories will establish a facility to test mooring lines and umbilical cables, ensuring marine energy devices remain secure and operational in harsh ocean environments. This initiative addresses the need for reliable performance testing.

🌱 Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Systems: Collaborative projects will explore hybrid offshore energy systems that integrate marine energy with wind and solar power to support marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) efforts. This opens new markets for marine energy and enhances its role in climate change mitigation.