In 2009 I co-authored a Wave Energy Infrastructure Assessment for Oregon sponsored by the Oregon Wave Energy Trust. This assessment is a gap analysis of the existing infrastructure and the projected infrastructure needed. It concludes with a set of recommendations to help companies, the state, and other planning bodies meet future needs.

Abstract

In fulfillment of its mission to actively support the responsible development of wave energy capacity in Oregon, the Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) engaged the services of Advanced Research Corporation to assess Oregon’s infrastructure and its capability to meet the manufacturing and deployment needs of wave energy in Oregon.

This assessment identifies the infrastructure needs of wave energy developers and compares these needs against the existing and planned infrastructure capabilities in Oregon. The work was performed over the period June through November 2009. In conducting this assessment, we interviewed twelve wave energy developers from Scotland, England, Ireland, Norway, Canada, and the U.S. states of New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Oregon. In addition we visited and interviewed representatives from four major ports on the Oregon coast, plus manufacturers, marine engineering and construction firms, and tug and barge operators. To gain a better understanding of workforce needs, we met with local members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and members of the local community. Finally, to understand Oregon’s capabilities to support wave energy test and demonstration, we met with representatives from the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center.

This document is the full report of our assessment and includes a prioritized set of recommendations for infrastructure additions and improvements to support the growth of Oregon’s wave energy industry.

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