The Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC) is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to facilitate the development of marine renewable energy technologies -- primarily wave and tidal -- via research, education, and outreach. Established in 2008, NNMREC is a partnership between Oregon State University (OSU) and the University of Washington (UW). In 2011 NNMREC’s research agenda expanded to include offshore wind energy technology as well.

NNMREC faculty and students investigate technical, environmental, and social dimensions of these ocean energy technologies, and perform research that fills knowledge gaps. Through this research, students are becoming industry pioneers, educating themselves in these promising new energy fields. NNMREC itself serves as a neutral voice of science and engineering to inform the public and decision-makers about the effects and capabilities of wave, tidal, and offshore wind technologies.

The Pacific Marine Energy Center (PMEC) is the name of NNMREC’s marine energy converter testing facilities located around the Pacific Northwest region. Much of PMEC is still in the early planning stages. Ultimately PMEC will facilitate testing of a broad range of technologies being produced by the marine energy industry. On the OSU campus, PMEC includes scaled laboratory testing at the Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility and the wave tanks at the O.H. Hinsdale test facility. On the UW campus, testing is supported at the Harris Hydraulics Laboratory’s current flume and small-scale wave flume.

Country: USA

Organization Type: University/Research

Organization Size: 250+

Areas of Activities