Community Perspectives of Wave Energy and Open-Water Testing at PacWave, Oregon.

The Supergen ORE Hub webinar series shares the latest insights and innovations in offshore renewable energy research, giving a platform to those working at the forefront of offshore renewable energy research. Find out more about previous webinars and watch recordings here.

Community Perspectives of Wave Energy and Open-Water Testing at PacWave, Oregon.

Chaired by Prof. Bryson Robertson and Prof. Hilary Boudet from the University of Oregon

Tuesday 29 April, 4.00 - 5.00pm (4:00 PM GMT / 8:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM ET)

We’re pleased to expand our webinar series to incorporate international perspectives and a social sciences lens to explore public perception of offshore renewable energy developments. This session will explore the factors that influence public responses to new developments and help us to understand what may slow or hinder the planning and consenting processes. 

As well as sharing insights from ongoing studies on community perspectives towards offshore renewables, Bryson Robertson and Hilary Boudet from Oregon State University will also provide an update on the PacWave project in Oregon, USA. 

Due to the time difference for our speakers, this upcoming webinar in the series will be held at a different time than usual. Please note the 4pm start time.  

About the webinar 

American coastlines have abundant ocean energy resources. The US states of California, Oregon, and Washington are estimated to have ~250 TWh/yr of technically feasible wave energy resources alone. Oregon State University, in partnership with the US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office, will be opening the PacWave test site in 2025. PacWave is an open-ocean, grid connected (20MW), pre-permitted testing facility for wave energy technology. Located about 6nm offshore from Newport, Oregon, PacWave is set to become the premier testing site in the Americas for wave energy technology. 

The challenges and opportunities in operating a novel, first-of-its-kind facility are many. Much has been said about the technical and environmental aspects of these developments, but what about the factors that influence different public responses to proposed ocean renewable energy developments – and what might the implications for future siting and permitting processes be? 

About the Speakers

Hilary Boudet, Professor and Director of Graduate Programs 

Hilary Boudet is a Professor and Director of Graduate Programs in the School of Public Policy at Oregon State University. Her research interests include environmental and energy policy, natural resource sociology, social movements, and public participation in energy and environmental decision-making. Hilary Boudet is Professor and Director of Graduate Programs at the School of Public Policy at Oregon State University. She teaches courses on energy and society, social movements, policy theory and research methods. Her research interests include environmental and energy policy, natural resource sociology, social movements, and public participation in energy and environmental decision-making. 

Bryson Robertson, Director of the Pacific Marine Energy Center 

Bryson Robertson is the Director of the Pacific Marine Energy Center, and an Associate Professor in Civil and Construction Engineering. Dr. Robertson's research and teaching interests include wave mechanics, hydrodynamics of floating bodies and mooring systems, and renewable energy. Working with partners in industry and the US National Laboratories, he focuses on wave, tidal and offshore wind energy resource characteristics; the co-design and modelling of hydrodynamically active offshore wind and wave renewable technologies; and numerically integrating marine power within the emerging Blue Economy. His research utilises field measurements, hydrodynamic multi-body numerical models, and physical prototype build/test. In complementary research, Dr. Robertson also looks at the future of our global energy systems; the nexus of technology, climate change, policy, economics and society on the decarbonisation of electrical systems; and the public trust requirements to transition power systems.