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Tag Archives: marine

Wave Energy Off the Oregon Coast a Possibility

30 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by admin in Reedsport

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beach, coast, energy, marine, ocean, oregon, renewable, tide, wave

The Oregon Coast is a priceless treasure. It is sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, and gigantic sand dunes. The Pacific Ocean provides crashing waves, beautiful sunsets, recreational spaces, and a variety of seafood. However, a controversy is growing – should Oregon devote its coast to the production of wave energy?

Oregonians love spending time at the coast. We flock there on weekends, causing traffic jams on Highways 26 and 101. Visitors come from all over the world to enjoy our coast. Since 2004, when a 1% hotel occupancy tax went into effect to fund Travel Oregon, the state tourism commission, Oregon has gone from 47th in the nation to 26th for tourism budgets. There are so many international visitors that Lincoln City put up banners that say “Welcome” in Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

A sample wave energy device that may be deployed off the coasts of Oregon.

Quietly, a new industry has been growing that may have dramatic impact on the Oregon Coast.
A whole group of agencies and non-profits have grown up since 2000: The Oregon Wave Energy Trust, the Oregon Innovation Council, Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (a cooperative effort of Oregon State University and the University of Washington), Pacific Marine Energy Center, the Ocean Policy Advisory Council, and many others. More than $15 million has been spent on developing wave energy since 2006. These diverse enterprises are working toward building wave energy converters off the Oregon Coast.

The Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center wants a piece of ocean one square mile in size, two miles northwest of Yaquina Head. Aquamarine Power applied for the use of 7,000 acres along the Oregon coast in order to discover what might be the best location for a converter, which is 70 feet deep by 1,400 feet long and rises over three stories above the ocean.

Ocean Power Technologies has plans for several sites, the first of which is already under construction off Reedsport. Located 2 ½ miles off the coast, it will contain ten PowerBuoys, an underwater substation, and a submarine cable to deliver power to the Pacific Northwest electric grid. The projection is that this will produce enough power to supply 375 homes (4,140 MegaWatt-hours/year). The buoy will be 140 feet long and 40 feet wide, with a 30-foot float.

Pressure to find alternative sources of energy come from many sources. Two of these are the fact that Oregon’s Renewable Energy Action Plan calls for 25% of the energy used in the state be from renewable sources by 2025, and another is the fact that the price of oil continues to escalate.

Wave energy conversion is in its infancy; regulations, permits, and policies are just being developed. Knowledge of how it will impact the environment is limited. There are concerns that the electromagnetic fields of the converters will disorient migratory birds and animals. What effect will the converters have on housing and tourism? How will the converters effect fishing, clamming, and crabbing. Those in favor of wave energy conversion are pushing to make the process move more quickly. Diverse opposing groups are trying to slow process to allow time for a more orderly progression.

There is no agreement at this point on where the converters will be placed. Just as the companies that want to place converters off the coast are scrambling to get their claims staked, counties and cities on the coast are struggling to evaluate and rank which sites should be protected. Oregon State University has produced a territorial sea map that concluded that only two percent of the coastal waters are available for wave energy conversion use. The rest of the coastline is used for fishing or has environmental protections.

Wave energy converters will mar the views along the Oregon Coast. Oregonians need to decide quickly, where and how many of these converters we want alone our coast, or if we want them at all.
Article written by Mary Boyer

How Wave Energy Works

Additional information on this important topic can be found here:
http://www.crbizjournal.com/news/article_006b1184-d83e-11e1-a199-0019bb2963f4.html
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/07/wave-energy-controversy-swells-in-oregon.html
http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2012/02/oregon-wave-energy-trust-opens-grant.html
http://www.oregonwave.org/

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, oregon

05 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by admin in Oregon Coast Treasure, Outdoor Location

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Tags

bird watch, environment, haystack, marine, rock, tide pool

Haystack Rock is a great destination and site to see if you are visiting near Cannon Beach. Located on the North Coast in Clatsop County Cannon Beach is a popular destination for vacationers from portland Oregon. There is many great places to stay and places to eat in cannon Beach and has a large commercial area downtown with all kinds of fun shops to explore. However, the big site to see in Cannon Beach is Haystack Rock a beautiful marine ecosystem that is fun to explore on a lowtide. Check a tide tables and take a nice walk on the beach during the low tide and you can explore the surrounding rocks and tide pools that when receded reveal starfish, sea anemone’s, rock crabs, and many other interesting creatures and sea plants / life. The rock and surrounding area is a protected marina garden so no fishing or harvesting of any wild creatures is allowed, but you can take as many pictures as you want and nejoy the area. The rocks rises over 230 feet to the top from the beach below. When the tide is up you can still enjoy lots of visible wildlife, primarily through bird watching the rock is home to the tuffed puffins, gulls, and cormorants among the most common sightings since they make Haystack Rock and the surrounding rock outcroppings there homes.

Learn more about this natural marine ecosystem through the Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP)which is dedicated to protecting this special marine garden environment for everyone to enjoy for years to come. http://www.ci.cannon-beach.or.us/~Natural/HRAP/hrap-summer.html


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Oregon Coast Aquarium – Fun Newport, Oregon Day Trip

04 Monday Jun 2012

Posted by admin in Oregon Coast Treasure

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animals, aquarium, exhibits, marine, newport, oregon

The Newport Aquarium is an excellent family destination along the Oregon coast. Located near the Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon, which is a few miles south of Lincoln City on the Central coast there is plenty of activities, places to stay, and restaurants to eat at, that you can easily incorporate a trip to the Newport Aquarium on your next Central coast visit. There are thousands of tons of different species of animals throughout the tanks and display areas, in this world class marin educational facility. Little kids and parents alike will love the various attractions and exhibits that are available. This Aquarium is very affordable compared to some aquariums such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The tickets are $19 for adults, $17 for teens 13-17, children 3 -12 are $12, and under 2 and the trip is free. The Aquarium is open at 9am to 6PM daily during summer hours and 10AM to 5PM during the winter.

There is a huge number of different exhibits such as the Oregon Coast, Sea & Me, Sandy Shores, Rocky Shores, Coastal Waters, Giant Pacific Octopus, Sea Otters, Seal & Sea Lions, Sea Bird Aviary, Turkey Vulture Habitata, Passage of the deep, Aquarium Gardens, Estuary Trail and there are temporary exhibits and other interesting sites to see and things to learn about. Check out additional details about the various exhibits and shows that will be available at the time of your visit. Aquarium Exhibits


Visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon and you can see cool animals like this sea otter and many more!

Make sure to visit the website before you make the drive so you have all of the information you need before you get here to enjoy a great day at an Oregon Coast Treasure. http://aquarium.org


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