WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep Bill Delahunt announced today that he is an original cosponsor of legislation aimed at boosting tidal and wave energy off the coast of the United States. 

“The development of renewable energy from our oceans has reached the point where it has potential to help meet regional power demands and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions that contribute to global warming.  Wave and tidal energy is attracting serious interest in Europe and in Canada. Now is the time for us to boost investment in the enormous ocean power that is off the coast of New England,” Delahunt said today.

Last week, Delahunt cosponsored legislation called “the Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act,” which would level the playing field for marine-power generators by providing loans for the development of new technologies and extending renewable energy tax credits to such utilities.  It also would pump $50 million a year into marine-energy research for 10 years to help overcome hurdles such as integrating power generated into the grid and creating infrastructure than can survive in harsh marine environments. 

"As someone who grew up in a coastal community, I have long believed the power of the sea ought to be harnessed as a source of energy.  The governments of Europe are far ahead of us in the development of renewable energy off their coasts and we need to match those efforts.   By doing so we will not only protect the environment, but create jobs and economic opportunity in this new global economy," said Delahunt. 

The Congressman recently led a delegation to Germany and learned first hand the ambitious efforts of European governments to develop offshore renewable energy.  In supporting this legislation he cited studies by the Electric Power Research Institute that identified wave and tidal energy as having potential off the coast of Massachusetts.  Delahunt has strongly endorsed the use of these marine technologies and has called on government officials to designate specific areas off our coast as “Ocean Renewable Energy Development Zones.”  

"As we change our energy sources from carbon-based fuels to renewable sources, ocean power will be a small but important part of our clean-energy mix.  We need to stimulate investment in these technologies while at the same time designate specific areas of our ocean to develop this technology,” Delahunt said today. 

Congressman Jay Inslee, from Washington is the author of this legislative proposal and shares Delahunt’s keen interest in wave and tidal energy.  He helped launch a study on the feasibility of developing tidal power in Puget Sound.  It is estimated that 1600 turbines in seven locations in the sound could generate enough electricity for 60,000 homes.

To read the “Marine and Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act,” please click here.

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