Murkowski bill promotes ocean research

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, introduced legislation April 29 to encourage development of renewable ocean energy, companion legislation to a bill introduced in the U.S. House by Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., to authorize as much as $250 million a year for ocean research.

“Coming from Alaska, where there are nearly 150 communities located along the state’s 34,000 miles of coastline plus dozens more on major river systems, it’s clear that perfecting marine energy could be of immense benefit to the nation,” Murkowski said in a statement.

“It simply makes sense to harness the power of the sun, wind, waves and river and ocean currents to make electricity,” said the senator, who is the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The Marine Renewable Energy Promotion Act of 2009 and a companion tax provision would expand federal research on marine energy; take over the cost verification of new wave, current, tidal and thermal ocean energy devices; create an adaptive management fund to help pay for the demonstration and deployment of such electric projects; and provide a key additional tax incentive.

The senator’s office said she has been promoting ocean energy: In 2005 Murkowski got a provision passed allowing ocean hydrokinetic energy to qualify for the federal purchase requirement and the federal production incentive. In 2007 she helped author more research funding and an ocean energy demonstration center provision.

Several companies have proposed projects to test current devices in Alaska rivers and in Cook Inlet, with projects under consideration at Eagle, Galena and Tanana, in addition to near Anchorage, and others being considered near Homer and in Southeast.

—Petroleum News