ENERGY SECURITYFirst Tidal Turbine in the Pacific Northwest Signals Wave of the Future
New tidal turbine tested at PNNL-Sequim showcases the lab’s growing role as a regional center for marine energy research.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)-Sequim facilitated the deployment and testing of the first tidal turbine operated for an extended period on the seafloor in the Pacific Northwest. It highlights PNNL-Sequim’s key role as the only facility on the U.S. West Coast to provide the necessary access to power and data connections, monitoring, and in-water support to test marine energy devices in a tidal channel.
“This deployment showcases how PNNL-Sequim’s underwater testbed and expert staff are helping move new marine energy technologies from the laboratory to the real world—or as we refer to it, from the bench to the bay,” explained PNNL mechanical engineer and project lead Robert Cavagnaro.
The novel tidal turbine was designed and built by the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory (UW-APL) to be deployed off the back of a small ship—an impossible feat for larger turbines—and generate enough renewable energy to indefinitely power technologies like sensors or cameras in hard-to-reach locations. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) Marine Energy Development team supported UW-APL in the development and testing of the turbine. UW-APL partnered with PNNL-Sequim to test the long-term performance of the turbine in Sequim Bay. This partnership between the UW-APL, the Navy, and PNNL-Sequim enhanced collaboration and efficiency of efforts to accomplish field testing.
“With the Department of Energy’s recent investments in PNNL-Sequim’s underwater and onshore infrastructure, we are growing our ability to provide ocean-based solutions to the climate crisis,” said Chris Meinig, PNNL Coastal Sciences division director. “This turbine deployment is the first of many to come.”
A Long Road to the Ocean
Deployed in Sequim Bay from October 2023 to March 2024, the turbine was the culmination of years of work by Cavagnaro and colleagues at both PNNL and UW affiliated with the Pacific Marine Energy Center.
“I began working on the basic science behind this cross-flow turbine back in 2012 as a graduate student at UW,” said Cavagnaro. “It’s exciting to be putting it in the water after so many years of work.”
It’s an example of how much time it can take to move new energy technologies from the lab to the real world. This process can be even slower in emerging sectors like marine energy, where there are limited facilities for ocean testing and permitting is a challenge.
