Theater Talk
Theater Talk
Theater Talk

Decarbonizing Our Energy Grid with Ocean Power

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Creating utility-scale wave electricity generation farms for renewable energy

 

 

Did you know that wave power has the potential to supply 40% of the United States' energy needs? Marcus Lehmann, co-founder of CalWave, highlights his company’s transformative journey to harnessing the ocean to generate electricity. Starting with an inspiration from nature, CalWave developed a patented technology that emerged as the highest-performing solution in the U.S. Department of Energy's Wave Energy Prize. Through rigorous testing and with the support of Autodesk's software and tools, CalWave's innovative xWave architecture now operates fully submerged, surviving severe storms while maintaining high efficiency. With over 7,000 hours of field operation and plans to deploy at the PacWave test center, CalWave is pioneering the future of wave energy, aiming for utility-scale wave parks and hybrid farms with offshore wind that can contribute significantly to our renewable energy landscape.

About the speaker 

Marcus Lehmann is the co-founder and CEO of CalWave, which was founded in 2014 to unlock the vast and steady carbon-free power from ocean waves worldwide. In 2016, CalWave was awarded second place for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wave Energy Prize. The company is currently conducting an open ocean pilot test. Dr. Lehmann holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Hamburg University of Technology.