Three novel WEC technology concepts with high techno-economic performance potential will be delivered and capable of achieving the DOE/EERE/WWPTO program goals for successful commercial and economic operation of U.S. WEC technology reaching domestic and global wave energy markets. These technologies will be developed and described up to TRL3 and verified and validated to deliver TPL7 or higher. The Intellectual Property (IP) associated with these novel WEC technology concepts described will be checked for Freedom or Operation and published in patents format to protect against counter contra patenting attempts and openly provided to the US WEC technology development industry. This important project outcome and the subsequent full technology development of these concepts by the U.S. industry to TRL9 while maintaining TPL7+ will satisfy the entry requirements for wave energy into the large electricity market of continental power grids. This overall outcome has the strong potential to enable technology convergence, engage important original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), attract investment, develop strong supply chains, and deliver the required disruptive step-change improvement of techno-economic performance to achieve economic viability and commercial operation – the maximum desirable big outcome.
All applied, customized and newly developed methodologies and tools for WEC technology assessment and innovation will be provided to the U.S. industry for their own use. This will enable industry to independently develop novel high potential WEC technology concepts as well as assess and fundamentally improve and advance their technologies currently under development. The labs will fully support this effort in the form of objectively conducted assessments and innovation services.
