VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers at the National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the United States, recently deployed two sets of buoys off the shores of Oregon and Maine, each equipped with a variety of high-accuracy sensors that can detect wave and tidal movement. Data from these devices will be used to improve marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) devices.

“We’re characterizing the resource at a level of detail that has not been done at these sites,” said Project Manager Levi Kilcher. Both buoys are designed to take similar measurements useful for developing future, energy-producing MHK devices – but with different applications. The Maine buoys are designed to assess tidal resources, whereas the Oregon buoys will obtain wave energy measurements in shallow water.

Data from these buoys will be used to quantify the accuracy of various wave and tidal models, and in turn, reduce risks for developers. These buoys allow researchers to “better understand the limitations and errors in existing global wave models,” said Kilcher. The data produced in Oregon and Maine assist in prioritizing wave energy efforts, creating a cohesive development process, and reducing risks in tidal and ocean energy development.