PacWave First Continental US Wave Test Site Opens

Oregon State University’s PacWave South, the first large continental U.S. site to test ocean-wave electricity, is now open and connected to the local grid off the Oregon coast. The facility, which includes PacWave North, was developed to test a range of wave-energy devices with pre-permitted testing to streamline development. The opening followed a go/no-go review by the Energy Department after Trump returned to office in 2025, with approval granted last summer and grid connection completed this summer. No wave devices have yet arrived, so no electricity has been generated, in part due to delays in federal funding and other financing challenges. The Department of Energy has invested about $150 million since 2016 in siting and construction, and officials say PacWave South will help streamline testing and permitting for marine energy. Coverage notes that while Trump-era policies are criticized for slowing energy permitting, officials still see significant promise in harnessing waves for clean power.