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The Company has received a
Preliminary Permit from the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to study the
potential feasibility of one offshore
wave energy generation platform in shallow coastal waters 2.8 miles
off of the Washington towns of Westport and Ocean Shores in
Grays
Harbor of Washington state. On Dec 5, 2008, company president Burton
Hamner testified to the Washington Legislature House Committee
on Energy and Technology on
Offshore Wind and Wave Renewable Energy Potential for Washington (16 MB
ppt file)
Below is the Project Map as proposed for FERC
permitting. This is Phase 1 and does NOT include any
construction or structure installation. Two sites are proposed
but only one offshore platform, a mobile jack-up platform, will be
demonstrated. It is mobile and will be moved between the sites
to demonstrate both mobility and ability to be removed quickly if
needed. This is a
requirement for the FERC pilot project license.
FERC regulates wave power (a type of hydropower)
generation but not wind power generation. A FERC
preliminary permit gives the permit holder priority rights to submit
a commercial power project license. This license is generally
issued only after all local and state permits are issued. Thus
the FERC preliminary permit is just for studies, it does not allow
any project to be installed. But it does give the project
developer the exclusive right to develop the site and protect its
investment in the studies and permit applications.
By attaching wave energy converters to the
offshore platform foundation the FERC jurisdiction is invoked and
one can apply for a permit for commercial energy generation.
Jurisdiction for the wind turbine installation - done at a later
time - is by the state if within 3 miles of shore; and by the USA
Minerals Management Service (MMS), if more than 3 miles
offshore. Currently MMS does not have an offshore alternative
energy permitting procedure so it cannot issue even preliminary
permits for commercial electricity production.
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