Marine Corps Base Hawaii

"Supporting Readiness and Global Projection"

Hydrokinetic buoy connects to power grid on MCB Hawaii

By Lance Cpl. Vanessa M. American Horse | Marine Corps Base Hawaii | October 01, 2010

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A PB40 PowerBuoy, built by Ocean Power Technologies, floats three-quarters of a mile off of Marine Corps Base Hawaii drawing electrical power from the ocean's waves Oct. 1. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Vanessa M. American H)

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Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. developed hydrokinetic energy technology with a grant from the Navy to investigate the use of wave power to generate power. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Vanessa M. American H)

MCB Hawaii -- The U.S. Navy announced Sept. 27 that it has connected a small wave energy generating buoy to a power grid on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay in Oahu, Hawaii, that is drawing electrical power from the ocean's waves.

The buoy is approximately 55-feet tall with a diameter of five feet tapering to 12 feet in diameter at the surface. From a long underground cable, 3 to 4 kilowatts of energy is fed into the electrical grid on base.

The power from one buoy can provide complete power for two homes according to Don Rochon, public affairs officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. Current plans are to operate and test one buoy. Future buoy deployments will depend on results of ongoing tests and funding.