Capps Announces Funding for Santa Barbara Company Working on Wave Energy Technology
Today, Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24) announced Dehlsen Associates, a Santa Barbara company, received a $500,000 grant from the Department of Energy to work on wave and tidal energy technology.
The grant will allow Dehlsen Associates, LLC, to develop advanced software for their multi-pod Centipod device, an energy convertor. The new software will help predict future wave conditions and provide control signals to adjust current system settings to make the Centipod’s power output more responsive. This would maximize the amount of energy being captured and increase power plant durability.
The grant is part of a $16 million investment in 17 projects around the country as part of the Obama Administration’s strategy to deploy every available source of American energy. The grant award to Dehlsen Associates is one of eight granted to companies working to build durable, efficient wave and tidal devices that reduce overall costs and maximize the amount of energy captured.
“Investing in developing cutting edge renewable energy technologies like wave and tidal energy is crucial for increasing our energy independence and creating jobs,” Capps said. “I am thrilled that so many local companies like Dehlsen Associates are on the leading edge of this industry, finding innovative ways to harness new clean energy sources that can power our homes and businesses. This is important for our local economy, the nation’s growth and development, and to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.”
“Wave and tidal energy represent a large, untapped resource for the United States and responsible development of this clean, renewable energy source is an important part of our all-of-the-above energy strategy,” said Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Danielson.
“We are very pleased to have this support from DOE to further develop the advanced controls for our Centipod wave energy converter,” said Alex Fleming, Dehlsen Associates, LLC, Vice President of Engineering. “With the support of the federal government our Marine Hydrokinetic Energy resources hold great promise for the U.S. to be a world leader in renewable energy development, manufacturing, and deployment. Wave energy represents a previously untapped energy source able to further diversify the US energy mix. Dehlsen Associates is working to help establish a robust marine hydrokinetic industry as it has in establishing the US based wind industry since the early 1990s.”
The latest nationwide wave and tidal energy resource assessments conducted by the Department of Energy show that up to 1,400 terawatt hours could potentially be generated each year. One terawatt-hour of electricity can power 85,000 homes.
