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Dr. Ted Brekken is an assistant professor in Energy Systems in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at Oregon State University. His research interests include control of renewable energy technology.

What changes have you noticed in the industry since the time that you began working in the field until now?

There is an ever-increasing awareness of the importance of renewable energy among students and the public.

What in your view are the greatest challenges to marine renewables at this time?

Permitting, economic support, and survivability.
The permitting process is still in flux, but should improve in clarity and brevity. It is important for marine renewables to receive financial benefits in the early years, including increased funding for research and development, as well as something similar to the PTC for wind or the Price-Anderson Act for nuclear. Lastly, the marine environment presents many survivability challenges. This will be reflected in the cost of energy.

What, if anything, makes the marine renewables industry different from other industries that you’ve worked with?

The industry is young and much fundamental work is yet to be done. The technology has not yet crystallized into a dominant paradigm; there are still many ideas of great diversity with no superior solutions yet established.

What do you find most exciting about the marine renewables industry?

Also see response to question 4. The opportunity to involve students in groundbreaking, multidisciplinary research that can have a positive impact on our energy future.

What, in your opinion, are the top two to three developments needed to bring marine renewables to commercialization?

Streamlined permitting, research funding opportunities and financial incentives, and improved device survivability.

What are your predictions for the marine renewables industry over the next 3-5 years?

Rapid growth and a period of strong sensitivity to failures and successes. If the industry can make it through this period, it will likely become robust and established.

What changes have you noticed in the industry since the time that you began working in the field until now?

My first ocean energy project was an ocean thermal project in Hawaii in the early 1980’s. Ocean energy projects then largely disappeared and there was not much activity, at least involving large law firms, until the resurgence of interest in renewables in the last few years. I have noticed growing attendance at ocean energy conferences. The industry is still in a venture capital stage, but should emerge soon once some of the newer technologies have proven they can work on a commercial scale.

What in your view are the greatest challenges to marine renewables at this time?

The greatest challenges are to prove that the technologies work on a commercial scale - which is key to arranging project financing - and to persuade Congress that ocean energy should be given the same support that other renewables receive. The Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition has been doing terrific job on the latter challenge. Individual companies are hard at work on the first.

What, if anything, makes the marine renewables industry different from other industries that you’ve worked with?

Marine renewables companies face the same challenges as other segments of the independent power industry; they are at the front end of the process. They must prove their technologies work on a commercial scale and then lock down costs and revenue streams for individual projects so that they can obtain project financing. Other wind, solar, biomass and fuel cell companies also went through, or are still moving through the same cycle.

What do you find most exciting about the marine renewables industry?

What’s most exciting to me is to see some very capable veterans of the independent power business move into marine renewables. I have no doubt the industry will succeed with such capable people behind it.

What, in your opinion, are the top two to three developments needed to bring marine renewables to commercialization?

First, the industry needs more venture capital, then tax credits and more generous depreciation allowances on a par with those received by other segments of the renewable energy industry. There also needs to be parity with other renewables in the renewable portfolio standards at the state level. It would also help if the federal loan guarantee program were truly to get off the ground with the government taking the “first loss” position on new technologies.

What are your predictions for the marine renewables industry over the next 3-5 years?

The industry should begin to move out the venture capital stage by the end of that period.

What changes have you noticed in the industry since the time that you began working in the field until now?

I suppose one of the most significant changes to affect the industry in the past 5-10 years is the increased public and political awareness of the impact of climate change. There is certainly a greater sense of urgency relating to the research and development of alternative forms of energy, which has given the ocean energy industry more leverage in terms of sourcing both Government and private sector funding. National governments are increasingly aware of both the potential of this sector and of the need to develop clear policy and support mechanisms. As a result, we’ve seen some important changes that favor development. Technology has improved, leading to more mature and robust solutions to wave energy conversion. The success of the Wavebob device is a perfect example of how imaginative solutions, coupled with years of methodical, expert research are now producing very exciting results. Overall, market conditions are very encouraging with high energy prices and an increasing commitment among local governments and energy companies to include marine renewables in their portfolio.

What in your view are the greatest challenges to marine renewables at this time?

The regulatory environment is undoubtedly the greatest source of risk and uncertainty. Without a streamlined permitting process and clear lines of jurisdiction among interested parties, it’s extremely difficult to plan or finance commercial projects.

What, if anything, makes the marine renewables industry different from other industries that you’ve worked with?

Right now the industry is undergoing a welcome shift from technology demonstration to commercial development. Worldwide, we are one of only a handful of companies to have successfully harnessed wave power at sea. It’s enormously exciting to be working for a company with not only great commercial prospects, but one who can help bring about significant environmental benefits to the electricity industry.

What do you find most exciting about the marine renewables industry?

While other renewable sectors have long boasted of their great potential, marine renewables are uniquely posed to make a significant impact within a relatively short timeframe. There is a developing momentum within the industry at the moment, particularly surrounding the commercialization of wave energy. Given my own particular background and interests, the marine environment is always a welcome place to work.

What, in your opinion, are the top two to three developments needed to bring marine renewables to commercialization?

1) An improved regulatory environment with a streamlined permitting process tailored to marine renewables.
2) Leadership from national and local governments to sponsor development of infrastructure required to support marine renewables. Government bodies are best able to meet challenges that arise from their own regulatory structures. Projects like Wavehub (UK) offer marine technology providers easy access to electricity markets, as would be enjoyed by other generators.
3) Tax credits and/or feed-in tariffs that help to offset the harmful subsidies provided to other sources of energy to include fossil fuels and bio-fuels.

What are your predictions for the marine renewables industry over the next 3-5 years?

We should see development of the first commercial wave farms in both Europe and North America.

What changes have you noticed in the industry since the time that you began working in the field until now?

The greatest changes that I have noticed are an overall consciousness raising and acceptance of kinetic hydropower technology’s capabilities for harvesting a huge marine renewables global potential.

What in your view are the greatest challenges to marine renewables at this time?

The greatest challenges are to demonstrate that kinetic hydropower technologies are commercially viable and to streamline regulatory processes that slow down those demonstrations, consequently adding to the costs.

What, if anything, makes the marine renewables industry different from other industries that you’ve worked with?

It is an embryonic industry.

What do you find most exciting about the marine renewables industry?

It has the potential to revolutionize energy generation, helping develop de-centralized power and sustainable communities.

What, in your opinion, are the top two to three developments needed to bring marine renewables to commercialization?

The three top developmental needs are: 1) funding and financing (i.e., government and private); 2) government will (e.g., economic incentives, renewable energy mandates, streamlined regulations); and 3) electric utility industry support (e.g., greater acceptance of distributed generation).

What are your predictions for the marine renewables industry over the next 3-5 years?

In the next five years, there will be at least four commercial projects with an installed capacity of more than 200 MW operating in tidal waters, rivers, and constructed waterways around the world. The exponential growth after 2012 will be staggering, because the estimated global potential for marine renewables is more than 250,000 MW of installed capacity.

Save the date - April 17-18, 2008 and visit the above link to register.

* Authorizing $250 million for Research, Development, Demonstration and Commercial Application to Expand Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Production.

* Authorizing the Secretary of the Department of Energy to Establish National Marine Renewable Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Centers.

* Directing the Department of Energy to Conduct a Report on Environmental Impacts and Recommendations to Mitigate Environmental Impacts.
While these provisions will help the marine renewables industry move forward, disappointingly, the Energy Act 2007 did not include other provisions which would have helped not just marine renewables, but all forms of renewable energy. For example, the Energy does not expand the Production Tax Credit (PTC) to include marine renewables (which currently do not qualify for the PTC), nor did the legislation extend the PTC, now due to expire at the end of 2008, for other renewables. Also missing from the bill was a national Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)that would have required utilities to obtain a mandatory percentage of their power supply from renewable energy sources.

Finally, one version of the bill would have resolved the ongoing jurisdictional spat between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Mineral Management Service. The final Energy Act did not include this provision, which means that MMS and FERC are likely to continue to work on the terms of an MOU that would delineate each agency’s role in authorizing marine renewable projects on the Outer Continental Shelf.

To read OREC’s official statement, visit this link.