Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with U.S. Representative Val Hoyle today announced a federal investment of nearly $2.5 million for Oregon State University to develop and test marine energy devices that are key in the climate crisis battle.
“There is huge potential to build an even stronger tool in the fight against the ongoing climate crisis with the development of marine energy technology right here in our state with the world-class researchers at OSU,” Wyden said. “While there is much more work to be done to fine-tune marine energy projects, I will continue to support research to develop renewable energy projects that generate jobs and climate gains alike.”
“Oregon State University is at the forefront of harnessing the power of our oceans to drive clean energy innovation,” said Merkley. “These federal investments will advance several projects at OSU for groundbreaking research in marine energy technologies, helping to unlock the immense potential of our coastal resources. By turning the movement of waves into renewable energy, these projects will strengthen Oregon’s role in fighting climate chaos.”
“These funds will help Oregon State University researchers make progress on developing marine energy technology, which could be a key tool to address climate change,” Representative Hoyle said. “We need a wide variety of energy sources to make sure clean power remains affordable and reliable. OSU is leading the way by testing marine energy devices right here in Oregon’s Fourth Congressional District.”
The $2.49 million federal investment through the U.S. Department of Energy will be used to identify new forms of marine energy, and to generate publicly available data and test platforms to increase efficiency of marine energy devices.
“These financial resources from the US Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office, and the associated support from the Oregon delegation, are necessary to continue building the next generation of offshore wave energy technologies and environmental monitoring capacity while working with communities and regional groups to ensure fairness in process and outcomes. With this funding Oregon State University and the Pacific Marine Energy Center will be able to continue our long heritage of developing homegrown talent to develop technology solutions, create new companies, and fill good renewable energy jobs across the USA,” said Dr. Bryson Robertson, Director of the Pacific Marine Energy Center at Oregon State University.
Wyden, Merkley and Hoyle have long advocated developing marine energy technology through research at OSU to help combat the effects of climate change. In June, the lawmakers announced $5.5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to OSU for marine energy research.