RME Successfully Concludes Ocean Tests in North Carolina

RME today announced that it had successfully completed ocean trials of a wave energy converter prototype that it is developing pursuant to a Phase II SBIR grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The prototype is a near-shore, surge-type wave energy converter (WEC) that is mounted on the seafloor just outside the surf zone and captures energy from waves that pass overhead. In addition to funding from DOE, RME received valuable support from the University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute (UNC-CSI) and the North Carolina Aquariums Society which owns and operates the Jennette’s Pier facility where testing took place. RME Senior Engineer Cliff Goudey said, “These tests were our first foray into the ocean after many years of hard work developing computer models and conducting numerous tests in wave tanks.” “We learned a lot about the behavior of our WEC in real-world conditions and now we’ll move on to the next design iteration and ocean trials in what we hope will be a pre-commercial context.” RME CEO Bill Staby added; “This is a landmark event for both RME and the U.S. MHK industry.” “We’re really starting to prove beyond a doubt that marine hydrokinetic (MHK) technologies can be a significant contributor to global energy needs in the near future.”