TEAMER selects 18 new marine energy projects for technical support

August 27, 2025, by Zerina Maksumić

The U.S. Testing Expertise and Access to Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) program has approved 18 projects through its 16th request for technical support (RFTS), representing over $2.7 million in funding.

Illustration (Courtesy of TEAMER Program)

The Technical Support Recipients (TSRs) will receive assistance across numerical modeling, laboratory or bench testing, tank and flume testing, and expertise within the TEAMER Facility Network. Selected applicants, along with their facilities, will now submit final test plans before activities can begin.

Backed by the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) and directed by the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust, TEAMER said it provides access to facilities and expertise to help address technical barriers, build knowledge, and drive commercialization of marine energy technologies.

The following projects have been selected to proceed:

AOE Accumulated Ocean Energy will carry out hydrodynamic testing of its Ocean Buoy Array at Oregon State University, following earlier tank tests completed at Hinsdale in March 2025. Aquantis has two projects selected: one with Kelson Marine and the American Bureau of Shipping focused on tidal turbine risk assessment, mooring strategies, and verification of the AQ10 system, and another with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to streamline the use of tidal resource data in Southeast Alaska.

Azura Wave Power will work with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on shallow water mooring concept development for its wave energy converter (WEC). BladeRunner Energy will also collaborate with NREL on resource assessment and blade optimization to improve the performance of its riverine device during winter freeze-up conditions.

Cal Poly State University will partner with PNNL and the University of Hawaii to generate a high-resolution wave model and long-term hindcast for the San Luis Obispo Bay pier site. Cornell University will advance an optimization framework for wave energy converters through collaboration with the WEC-Sim facility, seeking to maximize power capture across different device geometries.

Deep Anchor Solutions will work with Re Vision Consulting on a techno-economic analysis of its Deeply Embedded Ring Anchor, comparing it to commercially established anchoring solutions. Emrgy will optimize its vertical-axis hydrokinetic turbine through testing at Verdantas Flow Labs, aiming to extend its deployment into deeper and faster waters.

Equinox Ocean Turbines will team with NREL and 3U Technologies to model anchoring and subsea connection strategies for its semi-floating ocean current turbine. ESPOL Polytechnic University will test a roll-based adaptive wave energy converter at Stevens Institute of Technology, focusing on passive tuning and performance in tropical swell conditions.

The University of Porto will investigate dynamic scour protection strategies for hybrid foundations integrating wave energy into offshore wind or oil and gas structures, with testing support at Oregon State University. HydrokinetX will pursue technology qualification of its marine energy-powered RIPS drifter platform with Lloyd’s Register, targeting compliance with IEC standards.

Ocean Inertia will develop a WEC-Sim numerical model of its inertia-based point absorber to assess power output and annual energy production under different wave conditions. Poseidon’s Kite will conduct tank testing of its wave energy panel at Stevens Institute of Technology to measure the performance of its flexible membrane design.

The University of Victoria will work with the WEC-Sim facility to create a coupled model of a floating hybrid wind-wave platform, extending research from an EU Horizon Europe project.

Wave Swell Energy will perform scale model testing of its unidirectional oscillating water column integrated into coastal structures at Oregon State University, while Wavewatts will carry out tank testing at the University of Michigan to validate numerical simulations of its low-cost WEC design.

In May, the TEAMER program approved 17 marine energy projects through its fifteenth request for technical support (RFTS), allocating over $2.3 million in assistance.

$2.3 million awarded in TEAMER’s 15th call for marine energy testing

Business & Finance

In July, Texas-based 3U TECHNOLOGIES was added to the TEAMER facility network. The company name refers to “Underground Underwater Under-Ice,” reflecting its capability to support a wide range of subsea numerical modelling and analysis needs for TEAMER-supported marine energy projects.