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U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
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Using the Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Database

The Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Database contains information about technologies, companies, and projects. Provided below are instructions for using each section of the “Advanced Search” function, as well as the results pages.

Advanced Search

The “Advanced Search” function allows you to search the database by entering keywords or using multiple filters. You can use any combination of filters by selecting one or more of the following criteria—company, project, or technology; country; technology resource/technology type; Technology Readiness Level (TRL); project status; capacity range; U.S. Department of Energy-funded; and recent updates. Search results will be returned only if a project meets ANY of the criteria selected in ALL of the categories for which you select an option. If you leave all options unchecked in any category, that category will not affect your search. When you’ve selected all of the filters you’d like, click the “Search” button at the bottom of the screen.

You Must Select One

You must select one of the following three filters: technology, company, or project. How the results page is sorted will depend on the filter you select.

Country

By selecting one or more countries in the pull-down menu, you may search the database for companies, technologies, and projects located in a particular area. To select more than one country, hold down your keyboard’s Ctrl key and click your desired options with the mouse. Search results will include all technologies, companies, or projects located in the area you selected. If no boxes are checked, the search will not be limited by location. You can also use the Google map to help you identify project status and project location.

Technology Resource/Type

By selecting one or more items in the pull-down menu, you may search the database by technology resource—if more specificity is desired, you may search by technology type. Search results will include all technologies, companies, or projects that fit the technology resource/type you selected. If no selections are made, the search will not be limited by technology resource/type.

Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)

By selecting one or more TRLs in the pull-down menu, you may search the database for technologies, as well as the companies and projects that employ them, at particular TRLs. Projects that appear on the results page will include technologies that are undergoing partial or full-scale device testing. Search results will include all projects that fit the TRL you selected. If no selections are made, the search will not be limited by TRL. Department of Energy TRL definitions are provided below.

TRL 1-3: Discovery / Concept Definition / Early Stage Development, Design, and Engineering

 

The purpose of this stage is to evaluate, to the largest extent possible, the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of ideas that appear to have commercial potential.
  • TRL 1/2: Scientific research begins to be translated into applied research and development where basic principles are observed and reported. Technology concepts and applications are formulated and investigated through analytic studies and in-depth investigations of principal design considerations. This level is characterized by paper studies, concept exploration, and planning.
  • TRL 3: At this level, active research is initiated, including engineering studies and laboratory studies to physically validate analytical predictions of separate elements of the technology.

The purpose of this stage is to evaluate, insofar as possible, the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of ideas that appear to have commercial potential.

TRL 4: Proof of Concept


This TRL represents early stage proof-of-concept system or component development, testing, and concept validation. In this stage, critical technology elements are developed and tested in a laboratory environment. It is envisioned that scale models will be at a 1:10 scale or smaller.
  • At this level, basic technological components of a subscale model are integrated to validate design predictions and system-level functionality. The models, or critical subsystems, are tested in a laboratory environment.

 

TRL 5/6: System Integration and Technology Laboratory Demonstration


At this TRL, device-, system-, and subsystem-level interfacing/integration testing represent a vital stage in technology development, and must be demonstrated. Models should be at a relevant scale (1:1–1:5) to reflect the challenges and realities of the full-scale (1:1) system. Model testing is to be performed at a test facility capable of producing simulated waves/currents and other operational conditions while monitoring device response and performance. Furthermore, the device’s foundation concept shall be incorporated and demonstrated.
  • TRL 5: At this level, basic technological components are fabricated at a scale relevant to full-scale and integrated to establish and verify subsystem and system-level functionality and preparation for testing in a simulated environment. 
  • TRL 6: At this level, a representative model or prototype system at a scale relevant to full-scale, which is beyond that of TRL 5, is tested in a relevant environment. This level represents a major step up in a technology's demonstrated readiness and risk mitigation leading to open water testing.

 

TRL 7/8: Open Water System Testing, Demonstration, and Operation


At this stage, the device model scale is expected to be at or near full scale (1:1–1:2). Initially, testing may be performed in water at a relatively benign location, with the expectation that testing will then be performed in a fully exposed, open water environment where representative operating environments can be experienced. The final foundation/mooring design shall be incorporated into model testing at this stage.
  • TRL 7: At this level, the prototype scale components and subsystems are fabricated and integrated to establish and verify subsystem and system level functionality and preparation for testing in an open water operational environment to verify expected operation and fine tune the design prior to deployment in an operational demonstration project.
  • TRL 8: At this level, the prototype in its final form (at or near full scale) is to be tested and qualified in an open water environment under all expected operating conditions to demonstrate readiness for commercial deployment in a demonstration project. Testing should include extreme conditions.

TRL 9: Commercial-Scale Production / Application


This stage represents an in-service application of the technology in its final form and under mission condition.
  • At this level, the actual, commercial-scale system is proven through successful mission operations, whereby it is fielded and being used in commercial application.

Project Status

By selecting one or more phases in the pull-down menu, you may search the database for projects that use a technology, which will be or has been deployed. If no selections are made, search results will not be limited by phase.

  • Phase 0 - Undeveloped: projects that either had a specific site permitted or in the permitting process, but were later surrendered.
  • Phase 1 – Siting/Planning: projects and their respective companies’ technologies that are not yet in the water, but may have applied for or already received a permit/license, or may be conducting environmental site assessments.
  • Phase 2 – Site Development: projects and their respective companies that have selected a site and begun site preparations (e.g., installation of a sub-sea cable).
  • Phase 3 – Device Testing: projects where devices are undergoing or have undergone testing/commissioning before deployment.
  • Phase 4 - Deployed:  commercial projects that have been completed with all device units in water, or past commercial projects that have had a removal of all devices and environmental remediation.

Capacity Range:

By entering a number of megawatts in the minimum and maximum capacity boxes, search results will only show companies, projects, and technologies that have a nameplate capacity in that range. If you want to see search results above a certain capacity, only enter a value in the minimum box. If you want to see search results below a certain capacity, only enter a number in the maximum box. If no value is entered in either box, search results will not be limited by capacity.

  • Project Installed Capacity Range (MW) –  Currently installed overall project capacity, which could include multiple devices (e.g. array configurations for wave and tidal "farms")
  • Permit/License Buildout Capacity Range (MW) -   The maximum allowable project buildout capacity of a permit/license.
  • Device Nameplate Capacity Range (MW) -   The nameplate capacity of a single device

DOE-Funded:

By clicking on the pull-down menu, you may search the database for technologies, companies, or projects that have been financially supported by the Department of Energy (DOE). If no value is chosen, search results will not be limited by DOE funding.

FERC Docket Number:

You may search the database for technologies, companies, or projects that have applied for a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permit or license by typing in a known FERC docket number. If no docket number is entered, search results will not be limited by FERC status.

Recent Updates

By clicking on the pull-down menu, you may search the database for technologies, companies, or projects that have been published or updated within the past week, month, 90 days, or year. Please note: Any change to the publication status of a technology, company, or project will reset the date; as a result, some technologies, companies, or projects may show up even if they have been available online for longer than the specified time frame. If no time period is selected, search results will not be limited by the time the last update was made.

Sort Column

A results page will appear after clicking the “Submit” button at the bottom of the Advanced Search page, or by clicking any of the “List All Data” links to the left. You may alphabetically sort some of the columns by clicking on the hyperlinked column titles.