After continued delays deploying the first buoy for the Reedsport Wave Energy Project, Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) recently notified the Federal Government that they are backing away from larger plans. OPT supposedly intends to continue with its fully-licensed 10-buoy, 1.5 megawatt project as a demonstration project. It is surrendering its preliminary permit for the larger, 50 megawatt commercial scale development.
Read more in the companies letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC): Reedsport Expanded Project Preliminary Permit Notice of Surrender - February 28 2014
Also see article with more info from OPB EarthFix here.
Oregon Surfrider staff and members have been very interested and actively involved in planning efforts since initial discussions began for the Reedsport wave energy project way back in 2006. We were a signatory to the Reedsport Settlement Agreement as we felt the environmental research being done and the adaptive management process that would be employed was beneficial for future projects in other parts of the coast. Read more about our previous involvement on this project here.