Urban Honking

Monday, August 1

7:00pm Science Pub @ Bagdad

Can the Next Wave of Energy Come from the Ocean?

Monday, August 1, 2011 – 7:00pm
Portland – Bagdad Theater
Oceans cover almost three-fourths of the Earth’s surface. It is estimated that if 0.2% of the ocean’s untapped wave energy could be harnessed, it could provide power sufficient for the entire world.

Today’s wave energy technologies, commonly referred to as marine hydrokinetics, are relatively new and evolving, however the concept of harness energy from ocean waves is not. Oregon continues to be a national leader in research and technology testing of wave energy devices. As the design and efficiency of these technologies continue to improve, so does the future of wave energy.

The success of wave energy power generation relies, in part, on responsible siting and mitigation. To this end, resource managers and decision-makers will rely on a strong cross-section of scientific disciplines to assist in planning for future wave energy facilities. Today, scientists are actively conducting research into possible effects of wave energy devices on the marine environment.

At this Science Pub, come explore the concept of wave energy and learn about ongoing wave energy-related research and environmental studies being conducted offshore of Oregon and beyond.

Meleah S. Ashford, civil engineer and program manager for the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC) at Oregon State University. NNMREC is a partnership between Oregon State University (OSU), University of Washington (UW), and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), established by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a full range of capabilities to support marine renewable energy development for the United States.

Donna Schroeder is a marine biologist with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE). BOEMRE funds approximately $30 million per year for scientific studies in the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Arctic and is responsible for regulating ocean energy activities on the 1.7 billion acres of U.S. offshore area on the Outer Continental Shelf. As part of this national program, the Pacific OCS region manages research in physical oceanography, biology, ecology, and socioeconomics.