Posts Tagged ‘ reedsport ’

FERC Coming To Oregon For Wave Energy Meetings

March 15, 2010
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Powerbuoy photo from Ocean Power Technologies

Staff for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will be in Reedsport next month for a couple of meetings on wave energy.

FERC is looking at an application by Ocean Power Technologies to build a 1.5 megawatt wave farm off the coast near Reedsport. This could be the first commercial wave energy project on the West Coast.

These are scoping meetings, which means the information FERC gathers will be used to determine what issues have to be studied in the environmental review process.

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The Deal That May Seal Wave Power For Reedsport

February 2, 2010
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Powerbuoy photo from Ocean Power Technologies

The news that Reedsport may be home for the first commercial wave energy project on the West Coast is an important development in Oregon’s quest to be a center for renewable energy. But also important, is what’s been going on behind the scenes to make this project happen as smoothly as possible.

For the past few years a large group of stakeholders has met to work out the environmental, recreation and safety issues that will be part of building and operating the Reedsport wave park. A draft agreement was worked out in January and a final version is expected in the mext month or two.

The work draws attention to Oregonians mixed feelings about wave energy. No one really wants to say “no” to what could be an important source of clean, renewable energy for the state. While at the same time, we’re concerned about how wave parks will impact the coastal environment.

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