APRIL 2022

TRITON STORY: THE MANY TYPES OF MARINE ENERGY DEVICES

Three marine energy device types, including a wave energy converter, cross flow tidal turbine, and axial flow riverine turbine. Photo credits: Jeremy Gasowski | University of New Hampshire (left), CalWave Power Technologies (middle), Amanda Byrd | Alaska Center for Energy and Power (right).

Marine energy devices come in all shapes and sizes and are used to harness the powerful movement of waves, tides, river currents—even salinity and thermal gradients. In this month’s Triton Story, we talk about some of the different types marine energy devices used to harness energy in wave, tidal, and riverine environments. The existence of numerous marine energy devices and environmental settings means there is no one-size-fits-all approach to environmental monitoring. We discuss the various marine energy devices that were monitored by the Triton Field Trials, including the CalWave Power Technologies xWave, the University of New Hampshire Living Bridge Project’s cross-flow tidal turbine, and the Tanana River Test Site’s axial flow current energy converter. Learn more here.

FIELD NOTES: DIVE CHECK

Scripps Institution of Oceanography divers make observations around the hydrophone lander. (Photos by Richard Walsh | Scripps Institution of Oceanography).

In February, the Triton Field Trials underwater noise team traveled to La Jolla, California, where they deployed hydrophones around the CalWave xWave in collaboration with CalWave and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The team deployed hydrophones with the goal of characterizing the sound generated by the wave energy devices and surrounding environment in multiple sea states.

Since the hydrophones are deployed for several months, routine dive surveys are made to make sure the equipment is running smoothly and to make observations around the landers. These dives are important for making observations on anything that could impact this longer-term dataset. During this month’s survey dive, Scripps Institution of Oceanography divers observed some fuzzy green growth on everything. Otherwise, the hydrophones appeared to have maintained their position and are running smoothly! In May, the Triton team will return to La Jolla to retrieve the hydrophones and landers.

TRITON NEWS

Triton Talks Webinar Three: Science Communication with Cailene Gunn

On April 21, join Scientist and Science Communicator Cailene Gunn in Session Three of Triton Talks. In this presentation, Gunn will dive into the strategies, successes, and lessons learned from the first year of implementing Triton’s communications framework, recently published in the paper “A Framework for Effective Science Communication and Outreach Strategies and Dissemination of Research Findings for Marine Energy Projects.” 

• When: April 21, 2022 at 11 a.m. PST
• Register here! 

Have you missed any of the Triton Talks webinars? After each webinar, we post recordings on our Triton Talks YouTube playlist. Check it out.

SPOTLIGHT: ALICIA AMERSON PRESENTS TO THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY

On March 30, Alicia Amerson presented Triton’s research to The Wildlife Society's Renewable Energy Working Group. Amerson is a marine biologist and project manager with a curiosity for exploring boundaries where humans, wildlife, and wild places merge—especially as these relationships exist in marine and coastal environments. Amerson is a board member of the Urban Wildlife Working Group within The Wildlife Society. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk about the Triton Initiative's many projects, particularly those working toward understanding interactions between marine energy and wildlife and research on mitigation strategies.

Triton is designed to support the development and testing of more precise and cost-effective environmental monitoring technologies for marine energy. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory leads Triton on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.

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