Program:
OPEN 2015
Award:
$2,457,223
Location:
Portland, Maine
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
04/01/2016 - 10/31/2020

Technology Description:

The Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) will develop an innovative, self-deploying MHK power system, which will reduce the operating costs and improve the efficiency of MHK systems by up to 50%. ORPC’s system is based on pitch control of the blades of a cross-flow turbine, in which the tidal flow passes across the turbine blades rather than in a radial fashion. This system will allow the turbine to self-propel itself to the deployment location, and lower itself to the sea floor remotely. This innovative approach will allow for lower costs of deployment and retrieval, reduced requirements for sea-bed foundation construction, as well as increased turbine efficiency. The ORPC team will design, build, and test a model scale of the MHK system to demonstrate the benefits of using a self-deploying turbine, before completing the design and cost analysis of the full-scale commercial system. Successful deployment of this system would significantly reduce the LCOE associated with MHK systems, making the technology a viable renewable resource to generate electrical power.

Potential Impact:

If successful, the ORPC's innovations could reduce operations and maintenance costs for a typical MHK project by a factor of 2 and increase its energy efficiency by up to 50%.

Security:

Increased utilization of renewable energy resources could improve grid resiliency by having more power generation options available.

Environment:

Greater use of MHK systems could lessen use of fossil-fuel based power and reduce CO2 emissions.

Economy:

This project will foster a U.S.-led industry in marine hydrokinetics by overcoming maintenance and operations costs that contribute to the current high LCOE associated with MHK systems.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Mario Garcia-Sanz
Project Contact:
Mr. Jarlath McEntee
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
jmcentee@orpc.co

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Release Date:
01/07/2015