Ocean Innovation Testing in Partnership with Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative

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The Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst are working together to create a streamlined pathway for marine energy developers to move technologies from laboratory testing into real-world ocean conditions.

Through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Ocean Innovation Network, the UMass Amherst Ocean Resources and Renewable Energy (ORRE) Group, and MRECo are connecting laboratory-scale testing with affordable, pre-permitted open-water testing at MRECo’s Cuttyhunk Test Range (CTR) and Bourne Tidal Test Site (BTTS).

The ORRE Group conducts research in a wave-current laboratory at UMass Amherst capable of producing ocean waves, tidal currents, and combined wave-and-current conditions. The facility can be used to test wave energy and tidal energy conversion devices, as well as components used in marine energy systems. The laboratory is designated as a U.S. Department of Energy TEAMER facility.

This laboratory capability provides developers with an opportunity to test and refine technologies in a controlled environment before moving into the ocean. Once technologies are ready for the next stage of development, MRECo’s test sites provide access to real marine conditions without requiring developers to establish their own test infrastructure.

MRECo’s Cuttyhunk Test Range is being developed to provide a low-cost, pre-permitted environment for testing marine energy technologies in real ocean conditions. From Lab facilities to MRECo’s test sites. The site is intended to give developers and researchers access to the marine environment without the cost and complexity associated with creating a new test site for every project. We are commissioning tests to prove they work, and we already have Sandia National Labs and another commercial developer scheduled time on our test sites in 2027.

The collaboration also has an educational component. UMass Amherst plans to host live feeds from MRECo’s CTR or BTTS at its campus in the new Sustainable Engineering Lab building. The feeds will allow students to observe marine energy technologies being tested in actual ocean conditions and connect classroom learning with ongoing field research.

By connecting controlled laboratory testing with open-water facilities, the Ocean Innovation Network creates opportunities for universities, researchers, and technology developers to advance marine energy systems through successive stages of development.

About MRECo

The Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo) is a nonprofit organization that brings together academic, industry, governmental-regulatory, and public-interest stakeholders to promote the sustainable development of renewable energy in New England Ocean waters. MRECo operates and develops marine energy testing infrastructure, including the Bourne Tidal Test Site and Cuttyhunk Test Range, to support research, development, and testing of emerging ocean technologies.

About MRECo’s Cuttyhunk Test Range (CTR)

CTR gives developers a place to test offshore sensors and other marine technologies in real ocean conditions. Its low-cost, pre-permitted environment helps researchers collect valuable field data while moving promising technologies from the lab toward real-world deployment.

About the Ocean Resources and Renewable Energy Group

The Ocean Resources and Renewable Energy (ORRE) Group at the University of Massachusetts Amherst conducts research and testing involving marine renewable energy and ocean engineering. The SEL building wave-current laboratory can produce ocean waves, tidal currents, and combined wave-and-current conditions for testing wave energy and tidal energy conversion devices and marine energy components. The laboratory is designated as a U.S. Department of Energy TEAMER facility.

About the Ocean Innovation Network

The Bourne Tidal Test Site and the Cuttyhunk Test Range are funded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) as part of the Ocean Innovation Network.  MassCEC's Ocean Innovation Network will have a direct impact on businesses by expanding access to shared testing facilities in Massachusetts. These sites will allow companies to test and improve their technologies, making it easier for them to bring new products to the market.