The Trump administration has approved the opening of PacWave South, the first large-scale wave energy testing site in continental U.S. waters, located off the Oregon coast. This marks a notable shift in the administration's clean energy stance, as officials see potential in harnessing ocean waves for electricity generation, even as they have implemented significant barriers to offshore wind development.

What Makes Wave Energy Different From Other Ocean Power Sources?

Wave energy is one of three types of marine energy technologies, each converting ocean forces into electricity through different mechanisms. The Department of Energy has invested nearly $150 million since 2016 in the facility's siting and construction costs, recognizing the potential of this emerging industry.

• Point Absorbers: Buoy-like devices that move up and down with wave motion, converting that movement directly into electricity through mechanical systems.
• Oscillating Water Columns: Systems that use the rise and fall of waves to push and pull air through a turbine, similar to how wind turbines work but powered by ocean motion.
• Attenuators: Long, floating devices whose sections flex with wave motion, converting that flexing movement into electrical power through subsea cables connected to the grid.

The PacWave South facility is "pre-permitted," meaning developers can bring multiple types of wave energy converters to the site without acquiring individual permits for each test, significantly reducing the time and cost barriers that have historically slowed marine energy development.

Why Is This Approval Surprising Given the Administration's Clean Energy Record?

The Trump administration has created substantial obstacles for clean energy development, particularly offshore wind. The government has implemented policies that slow energy permitting, canceled billions in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects, and spent nearly $4 billion to buy back leases to stop offshore wind projects. Yet wave energy has received approval, suggesting the administration views it differently.

The Department of Energy characterizes wave energy technologies as "uniquely suited to provide power sources for national security applications." This framing contrasts sharply with the administration's characterization of offshore wind as a national security risk. Wave energy devices could power remote sensors, autonomous underwater vehicles, and other equipment requiring persistent, low-visibility power in remote and sensitive offshore and coastal environments, as well as provide power resiliency for forward military bases.

How Does Wave Energy Compare to Traditional Power Generation?

Burning coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity emits carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere and warms the planet. By contrast, marine energy is carbon-free, offering a fundamentally different environmental profile from fossil fuel power plants.

Federal estimates suggest that wave energy has the potential to power approximately 57 percent of U.S. electrical needs. The Department of Energy notes that even if only a small portion of this potential is captured, marine energy technologies would make significant contributions to America's energy system.

What's the Current Status of Wave Energy Development?

PacWave South is not the first grid-connected wave energy test site in the nation; the U.S. Navy operates one in Hawaii. However, it is the first to be connected to the continental U.S. grid, making it a critical testing ground for developers working on commercial-scale wave energy systems.

The facility has yet to generate any electricity because no wave energy devices have arrived at the site. Developers are facing delays in federal funding, which has slowed the deployment of testing equipment. The university marked the facility's opening on Thursday in an invitation-only event.

"When you're developing this technology, ultimately you have to get to that stage of full-scale open water testing, connected to the grid. And that's the real bottleneck for the global industry, the fact that there's very few facilities like this," said Dan Hellin, PacWave Director.

Dan Hellin, PacWave Director

After Trump returned to office in 2025, PacWave had to pass a "go/no-go" review at the Energy Department that required approval by the energy secretary to open. Hellin noted that the approval came through last summer, and the facility connected to the grid this summer.

How to Understand Wave Energy's Role in the Energy Transition

• Testing Infrastructure: PacWave South streamlines the permitting and testing process that has historically held back marine energy development for decades, allowing multiple device types to be tested without individual permits.
• Grid Connection: The facility's connection to the continental U.S. grid enables developers to test whether wave energy devices can reliably deliver power to existing electrical infrastructure at scale.
• National Security Framing: The administration's support for wave energy is partly justified through national security applications, positioning marine energy as strategically valuable for military and defense purposes.

The opening of PacWave South represents a rare point of alignment between the Trump administration and clean energy advocates, though for different reasons. While environmental advocates see wave energy as a carbon-free power source with enormous potential, the administration emphasizes its national security applications. Regardless of the rationale, the facility removes a major bottleneck that has constrained marine energy innovation globally, potentially accelerating the commercialization of technologies that could contribute significantly to U.S. electricity generation in coming decades.