Fact Sheet: The Grays Harbor Ocean Energy and Coastal Protection Project

Fact Sheet 10-25-2007

The Grays Harbor Ocean Energy and Coastal Protection Project

What is proposed? Download Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Project PDF presentation

An application for a Preliminary Permit has been made by the Washington Wave Company LLC to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a large renewable energy generation project in shallow coastal waters off of the Washington towns of Westport and Ocean Shores. Energy will be generated by large wind turbines further offshore, and wave energy converters closer inshore. They will share the same transmission cables. The wave energy absorbed will reduce the height of damaging storm waves that create coastal erosion and difficulties for local communities and navigation. The project will thus also provide coastal erosion protection.

The initial permit application is for 90 wind turbines and 350 wave converters, producing 400 MW/hr at peak and 168 MW/hr on average. This makes it one of the largest proposed wind and wave projects in the world. But the permit application makes it clear that this is an upper limit for the project and subject to negotiation. The final number and siting of turbines and wave converters will not be determined until extensive consultation has been successful with all the stakeholders.

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The photo below with graphics shows the possible locations of wind turbines (marked with x) and wave energy converters (marked with o). The wave converters are clustered near the harbor entrance to absorb damaging wave energy. They are also located along the same transmission cables to the wind turbines, thus creating great economies of scale.


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