Burt Hamner, President of Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Company, LLC made a presentation at the July 14th Westport City Council meeting to promote a recently updated ocean energy proposal his company is trying to find funding and permits for a pilot project offshore in Westport with a second pilot being proposed for Ocean Shores. With his original proposal to the City in February 2008, calling for the placement of up to 90 wind turbines and several wave converters, it has now been downsized to a proposal of up to six wave energy production devices (converters) to be placed three miles off shore of Grayland and Ocean Shores. Hamner suggests that a 5 megawatt generator at each location could serve a significant portion of the electrical needs for both cities.
The wave converters themselves are described as being mounted on platforms that would be floated out to and placed on giant adjustable tripods with 12 foot diameter legs. Cables would then run along the sea floor from each generator to power substations on shore.
Total cost for the project is estimated at $10 million and may be eligible for up to $1 million from the state of Washington and $2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. Another $250 million in federal grant money may also become available for this project and many others if a Congress approves a federal energy bill pertaining to the development of renewable energy sources. However that money comes via grants which only public entities like cities and counties are eligible for leading to why Grays Harbor Energy LLC has requested the support and partnership of both the City of Westport and Ocean Shores for this project.
How might Grays Harbor Energy LLC, a private company, prosper from this project? "Our interest is to make this work so that we can go get jobs elsewhere to teach others how to do it" he said. "This is not a commercial, private project. We can't get the financing. We need public entities to get the grants. No one's ever done this before and it might work. It would be a shame to lit it pass by with all the federal money available," he said.
The company's current permit allows them exclusive rights to conduct feasibility studies only at the six proposed wave converter sites and additional permitting is required for construction with a deadline to apply for those permits through the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee by July 10, 2010.
Mayor Michael Bruce said "I can't speak for the council but personally, I think this issue is large enough that we should offer a public hearing to see what the citizens think before we move forward on the request." No motion for any action on the request was made and Hamner said he would be happy to come back for an additioonal presentation for the council. For more information on this project please visit: http://www.graysharboroceanenergy.com/demo_project.htm.
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