According to the Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), TEAMER has facilitated testing and refinement for two oscillating water column (OWC) technologies, enabling UH to push the boundaries of wave-powered solutions for ocean observation and shoreline protection. An OWC is a type of wave energy converter (WEC) that harnesses energy from waves. It uses the power of waves, funneled into an open chamber, to pressurize the air. That pressurized air then spins a turbine and generates electricity. The first UH-tested OWC project, known as Project Hālona, is designed to support autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) docking and charging. Drawing inspiration from Oahu’s Hālona blowhole, the device employs a vertical “straw” mechanism where internal water reverberations create pressure to spin a turbine and generate electricity, noted WPTO.

Full research : The University of Hawaii (UH) has made strides in wave energy research through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) program.