Empowering Coastal Communities: U-M Leads $3.6M NSF Wave Energy Initiative
We're excited to announce that the University of Michigan is spearheading a $3.6 million National Science Foundation-funded project aimed at developing community-focused wave energy converters. This initiative targets sustainable energy solutions for coastal areas, beginning with Beaver Island, Michigan, and Nags Head, North Carolina.
Led by Prof. Lei Zuo and a multidisciplinary team, the project emphasizes:
Collaborative design with local communities to ensure energy solutions meet specific regional needs.
Development of a comprehensive assessment framework balancing engineering efficiency, environmental impact, and socio-economic considerations.
Field testing of wave energy devices tailored to the unique conditions of each site.
This effort represents a significant step toward harnessing the vast potential of wave energy, which could supply up to 35% of the U.S. electricity demand, while ensuring that the technologies are environmentally responsible and socially equitable.
🔗 Read more about the project: Michigan News