Congressional Initiative Promotes Tidal Power Research

Contact: Joe Carr at (207) 581-3571

ORONO — Thanks to a $951,500 federal appropriation, University of Maine researchers will lead a collaborative effort to advance efforts to develop Maine’s tidal power resource.  The funding comes from a Congressional initiative developed by the Maine delegation.

The money will be used to continue assessing current prototypes and models of turbines that can be submerged in the ocean to produce power using tidal currents.

“Once again, the Maine Congressional delegation has recognized UMaine’s capacity, especially working in concert with research and industry partners, to address a critical issue,” says UMaine President Robert Kennedy.  “Our natural resources have placed Maine in the center of the discussion about developing clean, renewable energy and we appreciate the delegation’s support as we work toward tapping the enormous potential for generating power from the sea.”

Although UMaine will lead the project, Maine Maritime Academy and Portland-based Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) are partners in the ongoing research.

“Tidal and ocean energy represents a tremendous opportunity for the State of Maine and I am encouraged that the funding provided in the budget will ensure that my alma mater, the University of Maine, will be on the vanguard of producing these advanced technologies,” says Sen. Olympia Snowe.  “UMaine’s engineering program is world renowned and I look forward to continuing to be a partner in promoting this renewable energy.”

Researchers also will move forward in evaluating the potential environmental impact of harnessing tidal energy off the coast of Eastport in the Western Passage of Passamaquoddy Bay.

“Maine stands to be a leader in tidal energy development.” says Sen. Susan Collins. “The research this project will support is a key step toward diversifying our energy sources and providing affordable, renewable power to Mainers. I have called for the goal of energy independence by the year 2020 and I am proud that the University of Maine is playing an important role in achieving that goal.”

Estimates show that in the next five to seven years, tidal energy has the potential to be a billion dollar industry in Maine, creating several hundred jobs.

“Our country needs to explore all sources of energy if we are going to reduce our reliance on foreign sources,” says U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud. “I worked hard to secure this funding because I believe that our state has a natural resource that could be used to accomplish this goal. Maine has some of the best conditions in the world to capitalize on the natural power-generating capacity of tides and ocean currents. The partners involved have a proven track record and the expertise to make the most out of this opportunity for our state.  I look forward to the results of this collaborative project.”

Each of the project’s partners brings specialized skills and knowledge that will allow the research and turbine development to advance efficiently and safely, serving the state’s economy and the environment.

“We know how much power potentially could be produced, but we don’t know how much you can extract commercially and have it be feasible and environmentally responsible,” says Michael “Mick” Peterson, UMaine Libra Foundation Professor of Engineering.

Tidal power is created by submerged turbines with foils that are turned by the ocean’s currents similar to the way that wind moves turbines on land. Before full commercialization occurs, researchers and developers need to understand how the turbines will fit into the ocean environment.

UMaine oceanography professor Huijie Xue is an expert in oceanographic computer modeling, which is key to understanding how much energy is produced by ocean currents and what amount can feasibly be extracted.

Xue points out that Maine’s jagged coastline contains many channels and passages perfectly suited for capturing tidal power, noting that Cobscook Bay and the Bay of Fundy “have the highest tides in the world.”

“[Eastport] is the most viable site in the continental United States,” says Peterson, one of the driving forces behind the project. “If tidal energy is going to be commercialized in the U.S., it’s going to be in Maine.”

“Since we’ve been talking about tidal energy, and it’s been around for a long time, there’s been obvious concern that when you put a turbine in the water that there could be potential [environmental] impact,” says Gayle Zydlewski, a fish biologist with UMaine’s School of Marine Sciences. “I think if we do it right, it can be done in a safe and sustainable way.”

Once the environmental and commercial viability questions are answered, it is likely that the technology can be implemented fairly quickly.

“It’s a technology that is something that we can implement in a fairly short term – a matter of years, not decades,” says MMA engineering professor Rich Kimball. “For example, offshore wind has a much larger potential … but that’s going to be a lot longer timeframe to get that developed.”

Kimball agrees with many others who are researching alternative energy in that a single source of alternative power generation won’t fix the problem, but he is confident that tidal power will have a considerable impact in reducing oil-based fuel dependency.

“I think it’s a significant part of our solution to renewable energy,” Kimball says.

In addition to involving students from both UMaine and MMA in creating a new industry, there is abundant opportunity for Maine’s small coastal communities to benefit from the prospect of jobs and positive economic spin-off.

“This funding will allow us to kick off an important project that is going to have significant economic impact in Washington County and throughout the state,” says Chris Sauer, president and CEO of Ocean Renewable Power Co.

This summer, the company will begin extensive in-water testing of the commercial design of its turbine generator unit, which has turbines made of a composite material developed by U.S. Windblade LLC of Bath and a composite structural frame to be made by Harbor Technologies Inc. of Brunswick – two companies with ties to UMaine’s AEWC Advanced Structures and Composites Center.

Last year, ORPC proved that their turbine generator unit is technically viable, and now it’s time to continue with the process to demonstrate that it’s ready for commercial use.

“It’s critical that we are able to prove through this testing that this turbine generator unit is commercially viable,” Sauer says. “It has the potential of catapulting us to the front of the tidal energy industry, while at the same time putting Maine on the world map as far as tidal energy.”