Editor’s Note: This article was updated on June 2, 2025, to reflect the opening of Cal Poly Pier in California.

Marine energy in all its forms is  emerging as a pivotal component in the quest for untapped, predictable energy solutions.

To aid in the goal of harnessing marine energy sources, innovative project sites across the U.S. are key in helping developers refine their technology; such sites include:

• Cal Poly Pier in California
• PacWave in Oregon
• The Bourne Tidal Test Site on Cape Cod in Massachusetts
• Community-driven initiatives on Beaver Island, Michigan, and Nags Head, North Carolina

These sites exemplify the engineering ingenuity propelling the sector forward domestically, and not only do the sites address the technical challenges of harnessing marine energy, but they underscore the critical role of both innovative engineering and the existence of test facilities that enable experimentation and deeper refinement.

Utilizing marine energy to meet the energy needs of Americans is no longer a question of theoretics; the potential and technology are already here. For instance, the U.S. Navy relies on devices powered by marine energy to keep the nation safe, tapping into waves to provide limitless fuel to autonomous craft and drones tasked with securing U.S. waters.

Marine energy test sites are not just proving grounds for new technologies — they’re engineering marvels in their own right, showcasing the same spirit of innovation and infrastructure excellence that has long powered progress in hydropower and its workforce. Through greater collaboration between hydro and marine energy engineers, all of water power stands to benefit, as marine energy technologies could benefit from the insights and experience of hydro engineers.

By creating space for marine energy technologies to test, the below sites are making the critical first steps in providing a framework for those same technologies to succeed.

• Cal Poly Pier: Advancing Wave Energy Research on California’s Central Coast
• Beaver Island: Community-Driven Marine Energy
• Bourne Tidal Test Site: Advancing Tidal Energy
• Nags Head, North Carolina: Harnessing Atlantic Waves for Community Needs
• PacWave: Pioneering Utility-Scale Wave Energy Testing

Cal Poly Pier: Advancing Wave Energy Research on California’s Central Coast

Located in Avila Beach, California, the Cal Poly Pier has been designated as the first open-water research pier under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Testing Expertise and Access to Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) program. This 3,000-foot-long facility, operated by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, provides developers with direct, shore-based access to San Luis Obispo Bay, facilitating the testing and validation of wave energy technologies in a real-world marine environment.

Originally constructed in 1984 by Unocal Corp. for oil transport, the pier was donated to Cal Poly in 2001 and has since been transformed into a comprehensive marine research station. It features a classroom and dry lab, a conference room with panoramic views, a flowing seawater system supporting wet-lab and aquarium spaces, and various monitoring instruments, including a meteorological station and underwater sensors.

As part of the TEAMER network, the Cal Poly Pier offers a unique testing environment for wave energy devices. With restricted access and sufficient loading capacities to transport large equipment out onto it, the pier allows for equipment deployment without the need for costly ship time. The pier extends 1 kilometer into waters approximately 12 meters (40 feet) deep, providing ample space and depth for a range of marine energy technology testing.

Positioned along a critical stretch of the Pacific coastline, the site offers relevance beyond civilian research and development. Its location and capabilities make it well suited for contributing to national security goals around energy resilience and maritime situational awareness, particularly as the U.S. seeks to harness marine energy to support coastal infrastructure and enhance offshore operational capabilities.

This designation not only enhances the capabilities of the TEAMER program but also positions the Cal Poly Pier as a pivotal site for advancing wave energy research and technology innovation not only on the U.S. West Coast, but throughout the country.

Beyond serving as a TEAMER facility, Cal Poly is actively engaged in marine energy innovation across disciplines. In May 2025, Cal Poly students deployed a prototype in nearby Morro Bay Harbor, demonstrating a wave-powered system designed to charge batteries at sea. While the deployment did not occur at the pier, it highlights the university’s broader role in advancing wave energy concepts, providing hands-on training, and exploring energy solutions with potential applications in remote or expeditionary environments. This project has been supported by the U.S. Navy, underscoring growing national interest in marine energy systems.

For more information about the Cal Poly Pier, visit their website HERE.

Beaver Island: Community-Driven Marine Energy

In the Great Lakes, Beaver Island, Michigan, serves as a testing ground for wave energy prototypes.

Researchers and students from the University of Michigan have been  collaborating with local communities to develop and deploy practical wave energy technology tailored to the island’s needs.

For Beaver Island, wave energy may be a pathway to increased energy security and independence from expensive diesel, which fuels the island’s back-up generators.

This initiative emphasizes the importance of community engagement and education in renewable energy projects. Such projects offer invaluable hands-on experience for students, who must design systems resilient to freshwater conditions before integration into the microgrid, preparing the next generation of engineers to tackle the complexities of marine energy.

More information about the Beaver Island project can be found here.

Student engineers from University of Michigan on-location at Beaver Island.

Bourne Tidal Test Site: Advancing Tidal Energy

In Massachusetts, the Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo) established the Bourne Tidal Test Site (BTTS) in the Cape Cod Canal. This facility is the first tidal test site in the U.S. to receive a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license, allowing tidal turbines to generate renewable electricity, and then feed it directly into the grid.

The BTTS enables developers to test turbine prototypes up to three meters in diameter, evaluating efficiency, capacity, durability, and environmental impact.

This site addresses the challenges of testing larger prototypes, providing a critical tool for advancing tidal energy technologies.

More information on BTTS can be found here.

The Bourne Tidal Test Site located on the Cape Cod Canal in Massachusetts.

Nags Head, North Carolina: Harnessing Atlantic Waves for Community Needs

Jennette’s Pier Wave Energy Test Center located off the coast of Nags Head, North Carolina, is the focus of a $3.6 million National Science Foundation project aimed at developing wave energy solutions for coastal communities.

Researchers from East Carolina University and the University of North Carolina are engaging with residents to identify renewable energy resources best suited to the community.

A key aspect of this project is enhancing the area’s storm response and energy resilience, both critical for regions susceptible to hurricanes. Engineering efforts concentrate on creating wave energy converters capable of withstanding extreme weather and efficiently integrating into existing power systems.

Beyond basic electricity needs, the project researchers  are also looking at other, smaller-scale applications marine energy could be used for in the community, such as desalination, powering autonomous underwater vehicles, and marine aquaculture.

More information about Jennette’s Pier Wave Energy Test Center can be found here.

Engineers at The Jennette’s Pier Wave Energy Test Center lower a marine energy device into the water.

PacWave: Pioneering Utility-Scale Wave Energy Testing

Off the coast of Oregon, PacWave, based at Oregon State University, is constructing the nation’s first utility-scale, grid-connected, wave energy test facility. This site will host companies developing technologies to convert ocean waves into electricity.

PacWave South consists of four test berths, which will support the testing of up to 20 wave energy devices and has been licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) at an installed capacity of 20 MW.

This test site demonstrates the significant engineering feat of installing four subsea cables, each about 12 miles long, to transmit energy from offshore devices to the mainland grid.

Due to the complex nature of the process, the buildout required precise cable laying beneath the seafloor to withstand dynamic ocean conditions while minimizing environmental impacts.

The first cable-connected wave energy technology test is anticipated in 2026.

More information about PacWave can be found here.

The construction team prepares to install the roof on the Control Building at PacWave’s Utility Connection and Monitoring Facility.

The Call to Engineers: Bridging Hydropower and Marine Energy

While the above initiatives underscore the ongoing work in creating replicable marine energy solutions for U.S. energy needs, they also demand innovative engineering solutions across the sector.

Hydropower professionals possess expertise in fluid dynamics, structural analysis, and grid integration—skills directly transferable to marine energy projects. By engaging in marine energy endeavors, hydropower engineers can contribute to helping overcome technical challenges while accelerating the deployment of these technologies and helping achieve a sustainable energy future.

As marine energy projects continue to progress from concept to reality, the demand for skilled engineers grows, too. Collaborative efforts between hydropower and marine energy sectors can drive innovation, optimize resource utilization, and enhance the resilience of our energy systems.

An embrace of these opportunities helps to advance the potential of all water power while ensuring a robust engineering workforce primed to meet future challenges.