Sen. Roblan release. Sen. Arnie Roblan, D-Coos Bay, secured state funding to help develop the emerging wave energy industry on the Oregon Coast. House Bill 5201 – which passed the Senate Saturday, March 3rd – is an appropriation package that includes a $3 million state investment for the Pacific Marine Energy Center South Energy Test Site, which is a wave energy test site off the Oregon Coast. It’s operated the Oregon State University Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center. The $3 million in state funds are being leveraged to help secure an additional $35 million in federal funds for the project. “This is an exciting emerging technology that can provide an ample supply of power, because there is a lot of power that we can harness from the constantly moving ocean,” Roblan said. “As this industry grows, we are hopeful that it will create great jobs on the Oregon Coast in power production and supply, engineering, manufacturing and numerous spinoff businesses. It’s a renewable, clean energy source that will reduce carbon emissions and, at the same time, create much-needed jobs in coastal communities.” The site – operated as part of Oregon State University’s Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center – is a location where wave energy developers can test utility scale wave energy converters in the ocean, with a connection to the electric utility grid through a subsea cable. It will be located about 7 miles offshore to the south of Newport. “Capturing wave energy is the next frontier in the quest for new safe, clean energy sources,” Roblan said. “This project is supported by Fishermen Involved in Natural Energy and a broad coalition of commercial fishermen. It also will, we hope, make Oregon the first choice for wave energy pioneers who need to test and demonstrate their devices’ ability to harness the energy of the ocean to power our communities.” The state already appropriated $800,000 in 2016 for the project, which yielded the first $5 million in federal funding for the project. The bill now goes to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature.
