by Shane Henson — August 1, 2012—U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Steven Chu recently recognized the nation’s first commercial, grid-connected tidal energy project off the coast of Eastport, Maine. Leveraging a $10 million investment from the DOE, Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) will deploy its first commercial tidal energy device into Cobscook Bay this summer. Since 2004, ORPC says it has been developing breakthrough technology and eco-conscious projects that use ocean and river currents to produce clean, predictable electricity to power businesses and homes while protecting the environment.
Tidal energy is a clean, renewable resource that can be harnessed wherever changing tides move a significant volume of water—including off the coasts of many U.S. cities where there is high electricity demand, notes the DOE. Near Maine, the Bay of Fundy is one of the most robust tidal energy resources in the world. Each day, 100 billion tons of water flow in and out of the bay with the force of 8,000 locomotives and tidal ranges of up to 50 feet.
Tides can also be forecast accurately, making tidal energy one of the most reliable and predictable renewable resources available, says the DOE. Earlier this year, the DOE released a nationwide tidal energy resource assessment identifying about 250 terawatt hours of annual electric generation potential from tidal currents.
The project, which the DOE says injected $14 million into the local economy, represents the first tidal energy project in the United States with long-term contracts to sell electricity—helping to drive American leadership in this innovative clean energy technology and diversify the nation’s energy mix.
