About Us
PacWave is an open-ocean testing facility for wave energy and other innovative marine technologies. Located off the coast of Newport, Oregon, PacWave provides researchers and technology developers with a place to test, demonstrate, and advance technologies in real ocean conditions.
Owned and operated by Oregon State University, PacWave was developed with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office. PacWave is affiliated with OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, connecting the facility with a broader community of marine scientists, engineers, educators, and ocean research infrastructure on the Oregon coast.
PacWave Testing at a Glance
Two Open-Ocean Test Sites
PacWave North & PacWave South
Four Grid-Connected Offshore Berths
Dedicated testing locations at PacWave South
Up to 5 MW Capacity per Berth
Supporting utility-scale testing and validation
Meet the Team
Based at Oregon State University, our team supports PacWave operations and works with researchers, technology developers, and partners to advance wave energy testing.
Built Through Partnerships
PacWave is made possible through support and collaboration across government, academia, national laboratories, industry, and the marine energy community. These partners have contributed funding, technical expertise, and experience to the development and operation of the facility.
U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) supports research, development, testing, and deployment of marine energy and hydropower technologies. DOE funding and support have been instrumental in the development of PacWave and its open-ocean testing infrastructure.
Partner Role: Funding · Marine energy research and development · Testing infrastructure
National Laboratory of the Rockies
The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), conducts research, testing, and technology development across marine energy, hydropower, and other energy systems. NLR brings extensive laboratory and field-testing capabilities and expertise in marine energy technology performance and validation.
Partner Role: Accredited performance testing · Grid interconnection · Quality and safety systems · Facility operations and maintenance · Technical guidance
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) provides expertise in environmental monitoring for marine energy, helping advance the tools and methods used to understand interactions between marine energy technologies and the ocean environment.
PacWave Role: Environmental monitoring · Underwater acoustics · Monitoring technology development and testing · Environmental effects research
European Marine Energy Centre
Based in Orkney, Scotland, the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) operates open-sea testing facilities for wave and tidal energy technologies and provides expertise in technology testing, verification, and international marine energy standards. As an established marine energy test center, EMEC has shared its technical and operational experience to support the development of PacWave.
Partner Role: Test facility development · Performance testing standards · Quality and safety systems · Environmental data management · Operations and maintenance
Pacific Energy Ventures
Pacific Energy Ventures (PEV) is a renewable energy consulting firm with expertise in project development, technology demonstration, and the marine energy sector.
Partner Role: Project management · Permitting · Grid interconnection · Business development · Sustainable operations
3U Technologies
3U Technologies provides engineering, project management, and consulting services for submarine cables, marine operations, offshore energy, and related infrastructure.
Partner Role: Subsea cables and connectors · Cable landing infrastructure · Horizontal directional drilling · Grid interconnection
Gaffney Law
Gaffney Law provides environmental and natural resources legal expertise, including federal permitting and regulatory compliance for energy and infrastructure projects.
Partner Role: Permitting · Regulatory counsel
Williwaw Engineering
Williwaw Engineering provides electrical and test engineering expertise to the marine energy industry, specializing in electrical systems, instrumentation, and ocean testing of wave energy converters.
Partner Role: Electrical infrastructure design · Grid interconnection