Media Relations
Press Release:
MEDIA CONTACT: Gisele Galoustian
561-297-2010, ggaloust@fau.edu
FAU’s Center for Ocean
Energy Technology Receives ‘Academic Pioneer
Award’ from EnergyOcean International
BOCA RATON, FL (June 10, 2010) – Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Ocean Energy Technology (COET) has received the “Academic Pioneer Award” from EnergyOcean International for its recent and significant contributions in the field of ocean energy research and technology. Dr. Karl Stevens, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, accepted the award on behalf of FAU and the COET on Wednesday, June 9, at the seventh annual EnergyOcean international conference held in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In addition to receiving this award, the COET showcased its leading-edge work in ocean energy technologies and science. This conference is the world’s leading event focused on offshore renewable and sustainable power including wind, wave, tidal, thermal, current, solar, and hybrids. Scientists, researchers, engineers, investment firms, policy makers, developers and utilities from around the world attended the three-day event to discuss opportunities and challenges facing the ocean renewable market. Representatives from FAU joined awardees from other categories including “Political Pioneer Award” recipients Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Florida Congressman Ron Klein.
“We are very honored to have received this prestigious award from EnergyOcean International,” said Susan Skemp, executive director of the COET in FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. “This award and recognition is due in large part to the combined efforts of all of our industry, academic and government partners, including the state of Florida.”
- FAU -
About Florida Atlantic University’s Center for Ocean Energy Technology
The Center for Ocean Energy Technology (COET) at Florida
Atlantic University was founded with a $5M award from the State
of Florida in January 2007, and was established to research,
design, develop, implement and test ocean energy technologies
that are cost-competitive with existing power technologies. COET
is a partnership created to further the assessment of
hydrokinetic and thermal ocean-energy resources off the east
coast of Florida, and to advance the development of those
resources for commercial-scale electrical power production.
COET’s programs are geared to bridge the gap between
concept and implementation of ocean-energy development.
Researchers at the COET are performing several research projects,
including developing a 20-kW turbine, and have also deployed
instrumentation to evaluate the state's ocean energy resources in
the Gulf Stream. Significant efforts have been expended by the
COET to engage and assist regulatory agencies in developing rule
making in order to define policy, protocol and capability to test
and evaluate the feasibility of ocean energy. As a result,
the COET’s approach to ocean energy research and technology
demonstration/ validation is a total system – environment,
ecology, resource and energy conversion. An undertaking of
this size and complexity engages expertise and knowledge across
and beyond FAU to build the capability, infrastructure, expertise
and strategic partnerships needed to develop and deploy
commercially-viable ocean energy systems.
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University opened its doors in 1964 as the
fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves
more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven
campuses and sites. Building on its rich tradition as a teaching
university, with a world-class faculty, FAU hosts 10 colleges:
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts & Letters, the Charles E.
Schmidt College of Biomedical Science, the College of Business,
the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of
Education, the College of Engineering & Computer
Science, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Graduate
College, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles
E. Schmidt College of Science. For more information, visit
www.fau.edu.
