U.S. offers $35 million in funding for tidal and river energy – EQ Mag Pro
Even if a fraction of the full potential could be realized, advances in hydropower could pave a path toward a net-zero economy
The U.S. Department of Energy announced it has unveiled $35 million in funding to support advances in tidal and river energy systems.
Various forms of renewable energy accounted for about 25% of the total amount of power on the grid during the second quarter. Of the total amount of renewables, conventional hydropower represented about 28% of the total.
A forecast from the Energy Department finds that hydropower is on pace to increase by 11% from current levels by the second quarter of 2023. Tidal power alone has the potential to account for nearly 8% of total U.S. power generation.
“Our oceans and rivers represent a huge potential source of renewable energy,” said Alejandro Moreno, the acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Data from Ocean Energy Europe in March, cited by CNBC, found Europe had about 2.2 megawatts of installed tidal capacity last year, a massive increase from 2020 levels. Globally, energy derived from the ebb and flow of tides accounted for 3.12 MW of installed capacity in 2021, while about 1.4 MW of energy came from waves last year.
In general terms, one megawatt of power is enough to meet the energy demands from about 650 average households.
In the United States, meanwhile, a wave energy prototype dubbed Azura is installed at a test site at Kaneohe Bay off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. And with a substantial portion of the U.S. population living within 50 miles of a coastline, marine and hydrokinetic technologies could help exploit an untapped renewable energy resource.
The Energy Department said that even if a tiny fraction of the total potential of these resources could be tapped, it would still contribute to goals to achieve a net-zero economy by 2050. The technology — which in some cases is similar to wind turbines — is expensive and requires extensive testing before it’s put into commercial use.
Those challenges, the Energy Department said, are a major impediment to momentum.
“This proposed funding opportunity aims to support state clean energy plans and goals, advance tidal and river current energy research and development, and attract competitive tidal and river current energy developers to deploy their devices at a demonstration site,” the department said.
Source: PTI
