The Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing marine renewable energy and ocean technology in Massachusetts, has deployed a wave-measuring device at a newly established test range in this U.S. state.
SOFAR Ocean’s SOFAR Spotter Buoy collects real-time ocean data, including wave height, temperature, and environmental conditions, which will directly support multiple ongoing and future ocean technology projects by improving safety, validation, and performance testing in open-water conditions, MRECo reported.
The unit’s deployment at the newly established Cuttyhunk Test Range (CTR) represents the first in-water technology deployment within Massachusetts’ Ocean Innovation Network, a statewide initiative designed to expand access to shared ocean testing infrastructure.
“This deployment marks an important step for Massachusetts as a leader in ocean innovation,” said John Miller , Executive Director of MRECo. “CTR will remove the permeating and cost barriers for the water testing that is critical for commercialization of marine technologies. In the water at Cuttyhunk, we are creating immediate opportunities for companies and researchers to test, refine, and scale their solutions in a real-world environment.”
According to MRECo, the Cuttyhunk Test Range and the Bourne Tidal Test Site, which the organization has been managing since 2018, lower barriers for companies by providing established, permitted sites where technologies can be tested efficiently and safely before entering the market.
The facilities are funded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) as part of the Ocean Innovation Network.