December 11, 2024 9:20 a.m. 

On Tuesday, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with Representative Val Hoyle announced a federal investment of nearly $2.5 million for Oregon State University to develop and test marine energy devices that they say are key in the climate crisis battle.

In a joint release, Wyden said, “There is huge potential to build an even stronger tool in the fight against the ongoing climate crisis with the development of marine energy technology right here in our state with the world-class researchers at OSU”.

Merkley said, “Oregon State University is at the forefront of harnessing the power of our oceans to drive clean energy innovation”. Merkley said, “These federal investments will advance several projects at OSU for groundbreaking research in marine energy technologies, helping to unlock the immense potential of our coastal resources”.

Hoyle said, “These funds will help Oregon State University researchers make progress on developing marine energy technology, which could be a key tool to address climate change”.

The release said the $2.49 million federal investment through the U.S. Department of Energy will be used to identify new forms of marine energy, and to generate publicity available data and test platforms to increase efficiency of marine energy devices.

The three lawmakers have long advocated for developing marine energy technology through research at OSU to help combat the effects of climate change. In June, the lawmakers announced $5.5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to OSU for marine energy research.