Jennette's Pier Wave Energy Test Center

Coastal Studies Institute & Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC)
Coastal Studies Institute & Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC)
Lead Organisation Coastal Studies Institute & Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC)
Country USA
Type Wave
Website https://www.coastalstudiesinstitute.org/jptestcenter/
  • Type of Testing Wave
    Year Established
    Temperate/Tropical
    Commercial/Array/Full scale/Scale Scale
    Development Status Operational

    Overview

    The Jennette’s Pier Wave Energy Test Center provides a shallow water platform for testing marine hydrokinetic energy devices and device components in the open ocean off Nags Head, North Carolina. The Test Center is the result of a partnership between Jennette’s Pier, owned by the State of North Carolina and managed by the NC Aquarium Division, and the Coastal Studies Institute, on the East Carolina University Outer Banks Campus.

    The Jennette’s Pier Wave Energy Test Center is managed by the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program and Jennette’s Pier and one of the open water test sites that are part of the Atlantic Marine Energy Center, the newest of the four US Department of Energy National Marine Renewable Energy Centers.

    The Jennette’s Pier Wave Energy Test Center offers pre-permitted, non-grid-connected temporary nearshore test berths.

  • Number of Berths 2
    Water Depth 3-11 m
    Min Water Depth (m) 3m
    Max Water Depth (m) 11m
    Avg Water Depth (m)
    Annual mean significant wave height
    Maximum recorded wave height
    Mean (averaged current speed)
    Maximum current speed
    Maximum tidal range
    Mean wind speed
    Max wind speed
    Seabed type Sandy bottom
    Total test area (km2)
    Distance to land
    Grid connected
    Grid connection capacity
    Rated export capacity and connection
    Proximity to nearest harbour (km)

  • Demonstration Projects

    • Resolute Marine Energy, Inc. Surge Wave Energy Converter - 2011

    Infrastructure

    • 1000’ long pier, concrete super-structure with wood deck
    • Pier House is 16,000 square feet with dedicated classrooms, event, and project display spaces
    • Estimated wave power density: 0.17 TW-hr/year/m
    • Permitted nearshore test berth: sandy bottom, 6 m water depth, 80 m north of the pier end
    • Permitted offshore test berth: 600 m east of the end of the pier, sandy bottom, 11 m water depth
    • Temporary test berths permitted through the US Army Corps of Engineers (exempt from NC Coastal Area Management Act)
    • Research Building at seaward end of Pier
    • 300 sq. foot climate-controlled room at pier end built to withstand Cat. 3 hurricane
    • Trap-door with 500-pound man-lift
    • Cable trough at center pier piling with a strain-relief collar near the bottom
    • Catwalk on the roof for atmospheric measurements and antenna attachment

    Equipment available to support site deployments

    • Cabled Acoustic Wave and Current (AWAC) gauge at offshore test berth provides near-real-time directional wave, full water column current, and bottom water temperature measurements
    • High bandwidth communications and generator back-up power
    • Real-time and 8-year archived wind, temperature and humidity measurement