Date: Nov 03, 2008 Author: Abbie Source: tidaltoday.com (
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Seattle, WA) The US Department of Energy announced funding for the development of two new National Marine Energy Research Centers, one in Hawaii and one in the Pacific Northwest. The Pacific Northwest Marine Energy Research Center will be formed by Oregon State University and the University of Washington. The competitive award is for $1.25 million annually, for up to five years. The new Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center will be one of only two new DOE-funded marine renewable energy centers in the nation.
BioSonics, a Seattle company founded in 1978, is part of the OSU/UW team and will be providing expertise and technology for the monitoring of biological activity at proposed and operational marine energy sites. The purpose of this monitoring is to better understand the biological activity and behavior under normal conditions and to better plan, design, and operate marine energy projects and minimize negative interactions with marine life.
BioSonics advanced digital hydroacoustic technology has been used by scientists and resource agencies around the world in many applications, both in marine and fresh water. From tracking individual fish, to assessing the behavior and biomass of everything from zooplankton to tuna, hydroacoustics provides a minimally invasive means of continuously monitoring relatively large areas without altering the behavior of fish and other aquatic life.
BioSonics has been involved in monitoring traditional hydropower dams around the world since 1978 and marine energy projects in New York, Alaska, Washington, and Europe.
Other members of the team include: the Electric Power Research Institute, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, and Verdant Power.
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For more information, contact:
Bob McClure
Business Development
BioSonics, Inc
(206)782-2211
bmcclure@biosonicsinc.com
www.biosonicsinc.com
