Oregon Wave Energy Trust

Wave energy team moves ahead with OSU test

View Original Source at Gazette Times

December 5th, 2011

A small crowd of people gathered Friday around the wave flume at Hinsdale Wave Research Lab at Oregon State University. Below the surging water was a new invention that has been 20 years in the making: a device that harvests energy from the floor of the ocean.

“It’s the right technology for Oregon because we have big waves and we have a lot of them,” said Mike Morrow, chief technology officer for M3Wave Energy Systems, LLC, a mid-valley company with a business office in Corvallis and a research office in Salem.

In fact, Morrow noted, the Pacific Ocean off the Oregon coast is more active during the winter months — a time when more energy is needed and used.

This week marked a big milestone in the company’s advancement toward developing a commercialized energy resource. The device, which was created in 1991 by Morrow and Mike Delos-Reyes (the team later added Michael Miller to complete the three Ms), began its first large-scale test Monday.

The team named the device DMP after Delos-Reyes Morrow Pressure, but is looking for a different name for commercialization.

“It’s basically the first time we’ve had a true scale device in a true scale wave environment where we’re able to collect data,” Morrow said.

Although many local and national companies are battling for a share of the wave-energy market, M3Wave’s product is the only one that is completely submerged. Morrow said that this makes it less obtrusive to others, such as anglers or others who just enjoy ocean views.

The device has two balloon-like chambers connected by a combine. Ocean waves push down on one chamber, compressing the air and forcing it through the turbine. When the wave moves past the combine, it pushes down on the second chamber, pushing the air back through the turbine.

At 30 feet long, the device is about one-sixth the size of the final product, but Morrow said it could also be used in the Pacific Ocean. The Oregon Wave Energy Trust and the Department of Energy have provided the financial backing.

The next step for the company is to secure more funding and test the device in the open ocean. The team hopes to test its device sometime in 2012.Wave energy team moves ahead with OSU test

Reaching Out

Did You Know?

Oregon is a leader in wave energy.

Oregon focuses on a collaborative model for getting wave energy projects in the water.

That Oregon’s Coastline is among a few places in the world that has the key elements to tap into wave energy?

That Oregon can enjoy an abundance of energy generated by ocean waves?

That our state contains internationally- recognized experts who are leading efforts to responsibly develop wave energy?

That Oregon has capacity to build, maintain and deliver sustainable wave energy power to the grid?

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Why support Oregon Wave Energy Trust?

Wave energy is one key part of the comprehensive alternative energy solution for Oregon. And thanks to a combination of unique characteristics is the only source of energy where Oregon enjoys such a clear competitive advantage. As a result, Oregon’s wave energy industry provides myriad opportunities to deliver significant economic benefits to the state.

Oregon Wave Energy Trust (OWET) works closely with our state- wide stakeholders: fishing and environmental groups, coastal communities and industry, government agencies and other partners in responsibly developing this new industry while establishing Oregon as the North American leader in wave energy. The work that we do is the real benefit we offer our members.

Our Founding Partners

Oregon Wave Energy Trust was funded in part with Oregon State Lottery Funds administered by the Oregon Business Development Department. It is one of six Oregon Innovation Council initiatives supporting innovation and long term economic growth.