We want moor! New DOE funds aim to improve marine energy moorings

Marine energy technology, like this wave energy device from Northwest Energy Innovations, is still in an early stage of development. Many take their first ocean plunge at the United States Navy's Wave Energy Test Site near Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, which is pictured here. Photo from Northwest Energy Innovations

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $17 million in funding for 14 projects meant to support U.S. offshore wind energy and marine energy deployments, including improvements for marine energy converters.

These projects include research for technology advancements to improve the integrity of mooring systems that keep marine energy converters in position when operating in deep waters.

“Our oceans can deliver vast amounts of clean power to support a resilient energy system for the American people,” said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “By increasing the reliability of offshore wind and marine energy technologies and ensuring environmentally responsible development, these selected projects can accelerate the deployment of offshore renewable energy.” 

Marine energy systems can operate in deep waters and rough seas, but they require specialized and reliable technologies to secure them to the sea floor. Projects in this topic area will address specific near-term needs informing mooring system designs for floating offshore wind and marine energy. 

  • Deep Anchor Solutions Inc. (College Station, Texas): $932,200 
  • GE Vernova AdvancedResearch Center (Niskayuna, New York): $997,800 
  • Michelin North America, Inc (Coraopolis, Pennsylvania):$837,800 
  • Stress Engineering Services, Inc. (Houston, Texas): $984,400 
  • Triton Anchor LLC (Chelmsford, Massachusetts): $999,300 
  • University of Maine (Orono, Maine): $1,000,000 
  • WireCo Worldgroup Inc. (Prairie Village, Kansas): $738,900 

Subtopic 1a: Test Mooring Ropes for Fatigue

Projects in this subtopic area will physically test the long-term performance, fatigue (material wear and strength reduction from repeated loads over time), and other characteristics of synthetic fiber ropes likely to be used in floating offshore wind and/or marine energy systems.

Subtopic 1b: Robust Sensor Systems for Mooring Condition Monitoring

Projects in this subtopic area will advance a condition monitoring instrumentation package for mooring lines that will lower operations and maintenance costs for floating offshore wind and/or marine energy converters. 

Subtopic 1c: Validate Shared Anchor/Shared Mooring Array Configurations

Projects in this subtopic area will physically test and validate shared anchor configurations of floating offshore wind energy arrays or marine energy arrays. A shared anchor attaches to multiple platforms or devices to keep them in place, and it must resist pulls from different directions.  

This opportunity was funded by DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office and Water Power Technologies Office, along with DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

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