Is government funding for ocean wave energy conversion (WEC) system development available in California?
Presently there is no US federal funding for the construction of WEC demonstration projects. Over the last few years, the Navys Office of Naval Research (ONR) has funded some research through its SBIR program. However the level of funding is not sufficient for full-scale demonstration projects. Although the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast has excellent potential, prior to December 2000, the California Energy Commission (CEC) did not list ocean wave energy as a renewable resource. In early 2001, a professor at San Diego State University assembled a loosely knit group of scientists, academics, and device developers into the California Wave Energy Consortium. It made multiple efforts throughout 2001 to obtain funding from the CEC. But the CEC has declined to fund any wave energy device projects until they see the results of a wave energy resource study. Funding for a resource study was announced in March 2002. The California’s Energy Innovations Small Grant (EISG) Program provides up to $
Presently there is no US federal funding for the construction of WEC demonstration projects. Over the last few years, the Navys Office of Naval Research (ONR) has funded some research through its SBIR program. However the level of funding is not sufficient for full-scale demonstration projects. Although the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast has excellent potential, prior to December 2000, the California Energy Commission (CEC) did not list ocean wave energy as a renewable resource. In early 2001, a professor at San Diego State University assembled a loosely knit group of scientists, academics, and device developers into the California Wave Energy Consortium. It made multiple efforts throughout 2001 to obtain funding from the CEC. But the CEC has declined to fund any wave energy device projects until they see the results of a wave energy resource study. Funding for a resource study was announced in March 2002. The California’s Energy Innovations Small Grant (EISG) Program provides up to $
