UOG Sustainability Conference townhall explores ocean and wave energy for the island

Bastian Bentlage, PhD, UOG associate professor of bioinformatics, speaks at a town hall on using ocean energy systems as a renewable energy option. The town hall was one of the sessions at the 16th UOG Conference on Island Sustainability.

Andrea Copping, PhD, project manager and principal investigator at PNNL’s Energy and Environmental Directorate, presents the different ocean energy systems at a town hall during the 16th UOG Conference on Island Sustainability.

The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant held a townhall at the 16th UOG Conference on Island Sustainability to gather stakeholder input on using ocean energy systems for renewable energy and exploring benefits for local industries, especially aquaculture.

Community members representing the academe, private sector, and public sector attended the meeting, which included presentations by experts from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) on ocean and wave energy systems and their various applications.

At the start of the meeting, Bastian Bentlage, PhD, UOG associate professor of bioinformatics, mentioned that the collaboration with PNNL began with a project exploring the feasibility of using ocean energy to power a proposed Guam Aquaculture Innovation Center.

Bentlage is the project co-principal investigator. With PNNL and SANDIA National Laboratories, the project team explored technologies like ocean thermal electric conversion (OTEC) and wave-energy converter (WEC) systems.

“One of the biggest costs in aquaculture is energy,” Bentlage explained, underlining the urgency for renewable energy solutions. He noted that alternatives like wind and solar are being explored, but ocean energy offers significant potential through systems such as OTEC and WEC.

Andrea Copping, PhD, project manager/principal investigator at PNNL’s Energy and Environmental Directorate, started with a presentation on OTEC, a technology that generates electricity by tapping into the temperature difference between warm surface water and cold deep water.

Copping said a temperature variance of around 20 degrees Celsius is essential, a condition that Guam’s waters easily meet. She reassured attendees that implementing OTEC would not involve drilling through coral reefs, employing other techniques instead.

Copping also introduced seawater air-conditioning (SWAC), which uses cold seawater to cool buildings and facilities. “This is the one I think is really pertinent right now, right here for Guam,” she said, noting that air conditioning costs significantly contribute to the island’s current electrical load and that SWAC could offer a sustainable cooling solution.

Wave energy was another focal point of Copping’s talk, highlighting Guam’s favorable wave conditions. She noted that while wave energy technology is still in development, it holds potential for small-scale applications, particularly in supporting aquaculture.

Throughout her talk, Copping underscored the environmental considerations inherent in these technologies. “We have to be very careful protecting the marine environment,” she said, addressing community concerns about potential impacts on local ecosystems.

Other community questions raised in the meeting include the resilience of OTEC systems to typhoons. According to the presenters, designs are being developed to withstand extreme weather conditions. Submerged systems use deep pipes to reduce storm-related risks, while land-based facilities could be structured like traditional buildings to enhance stability.

Questions about the size and design of wave energy converters were also discussed, with economic factors playing a crucial role in determining their placement and anchoring strategies. The feasibility of placing OTEC systems close to shore was also discussed. The presenters said that, while possible, positioning systems beyond the surf zone is preferable to prevent damage from wave action.

Charles Gunzel, a program manager at PNNL’s Energy and Environmental Directorate also highlighted the importance of understanding economic and regulatory challenges in deploying wave energy technology. He said navigating coastal management policies will be essential for successful implementation.

Participants also shared ideas about the innovative uses of OTEC, such as sustainable agriculture solutions like cooled greenhouses in Guam, which could potentially support local food production.

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