Oregon Sea Grant’s Ocean Renewable Energy Webinar Series highlights research exploring the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of wave energy and offshore wind energy on the West Coast. The series is designed to share science-based information, respond to community questions and interests, and support a broader public understanding of the potential effects and considerations associated with renewable ocean energy development.
This webinar will explore the ongoing environmental research at PacWave, an open-ocean wave energy test facility off the Oregon coast. Dr. Sarah Henkel is a benthic ecologist at Oregon State University and leads the environmental studies at PacWave. Her research focuses on site characterization and monitoring of seafloor species to assess potential ecological impacts of wave energy devices, including effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Dr. Henkel will share key findings and describe the methods used to monitor ecological changes at the PacWave test sites.