Global ocean-based industries are valued at an estimated $2.5 trillion annually and projected to double in size by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. Thriving ocean-based industries provide economic, social, and environmental benefits from the use of the ocean and connected waterways, across sectors, including critical minerals, maritime transport, oceanographic research, ocean energy, national security, and fisheries.
Powering Ocean Based Industry and Supporting Coastal Communities
With support from Department of Energy's (DOE’s) Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is working with other national laboratories and private sector partners to accelerate the growth of ocean-based industries, while creating a multifaceted set of pathways for further development of marine energy technologies.
To advance this effort, PNNL and partners have identified real-world applications that would benefit from integration with marine energy. These include harnessing ocean energy to power coastal communities, extracting valuable minerals from seawater, recharging underwater vehicles for ocean observations, and providing power for offshore aquaculture facilities. Work ranges from foundational research and development projects to assisting coastal communities in addressing energy challenges with innovative power sources, and attracting researchers and developers interested in powering diverse needs at sea and onshore.
Topic areas include:
- identifying applications for providing power at sea where marine energy provides a unique and strong value proposition, like powering drifting sensors in the arctic
- designing docking platforms for autonomous vehicles that can self-charge using power from the ocean
- modeling and developing electronic systems to provide consistent power from intermittent tidal and wave resources
- testing novel materials and processes for manufacturing small-scale (< 100 watts) tidal turbines
- drawing energy from temperature gradients in the ocean to power uncrewed vehicles and sensors
- extracting critical minerals dissolved in seawater for use in industry
- producing industrial chemicals from seawater using advanced processes able to be powered with energy from the ocean
- developing tools for communities to evaluate their readiness for deployment of marine energy technologies to meet their unique needs
Supporting Marine Energy Innovation
PNNL is building innovative pathways to new markets for marine energy technologies. Researchers are examining the value of marine energy to complement other energy sources, evaluating conventional and innovative energy storage solutions, and exploring the creation of microgrids at sea and in coastal communities to provide reliable and affordable domestic power.
In addition, PNNL partners with other public and private organizations to support growth in marine energy, such as through its involvement in Washington Maritime Blue. Washington Maritime Blue is a public/private alliance working to make Washington State home to a thriving domestic maritime industry run on a variety of energy sources that can also support coastal communities facing energy challenges.
PNNL marine energy experts are engaged in a variety of efforts across the country and in different sectors, including working with government and industry partners in the national security sector.
Using platforms such as autonomous surface vehicles, PNNL is helping the Department of War collect better ocean measurements that lead to accurate forecasts that can be used in the field.
Research at PNNL-Sequim
Scientists and engineers at PNNL have expertise in key marine development areas, including wave energy, tidal energy, environmental monitoring, biofuels from feedstocks, seawater mineral extraction, and even shipbuilding. This expertise, combined with PNNL’s unique facilities and capabilities, allows researchers to discover and develop new ways to leverage the ocean.
PNNL serves as a hub for ocean-based industry innovation, where government, the private sector, and university partnerships can advance ocean technologies.
