ENVIRONMENT

Wave energy testing site opens off Oregon, a green energy milestone in the Trump administration

PUBLISHED Aug 26, 2026, 11:28 AM ET

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PacWave South, a grid-connected wave-energy testing facility off Oregon, opened Wednesday after receiving Energy Department approval under President Donald Trump, creating a new U.S. test bed for marine-power technology. Oregon State University developed the facility, about seven miles offshore near Newport, to let companies test wave-energy converters in open-ocean conditions and send electricity ashore. PacWave Director Dan Hellin said the project passed a federal “go/no-go” review last summer and connected to the grid this summer. The Department of Energy says it has invested nearly $150 million in the facility since 2016. The site is pre-permitted and can eventually accommodate up to 20 converters with 20 megawatts of combined capacity. However, PacWave South has not generated electricity because no wave-energy devices are currently deployed, with federal funding delays affecting developers. The opening is a milestone for an emerging industry, but commercial-scale wave power remains unproven in the United States to date.

By Emily Rhodes | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

On 2011, Oregon State University began developing PacWave for marine-energy testing research.
On 2012, PacWave North began operating as off-grid test site.
On July 1, 2020, DOE issued approval supporting PacWave funding.
On 2021, Oregon State University completed PacWave South permitting for construction approval.
On 2022, DOE awarded developers funding for PacWave South deployments.
On early 2025, PacWave South completed its physical construction phase.
On 2025, federal officials reviewed PacWave under a go/no-go process.
On summer 2026, PacWave South connected its offshore infrastructure to-grid.
On August 26, 2026, PacWave South officially opened for developers.
Over coming months, developers may resume deployment as funding stabilizes.
Over coming years, tests could support commercialization of wave power.

News Intelligence

Immediate US impact: Immediate US impact expands testing infrastructure for domestic marine-energy technologies.
Possible long-term US impact: Long-term US impact could diversify generation if wave power matures.
Reader priority: Readers should prioritize primary documents, deployment updates, funding decisions, data.
Most Affected: Most affected: Oregon developers, researchers, utilities, energy officials, marine manufacturers.