Blue Energy News and Press Releases

Announcement: Blue Energy partners with UBC to advance ocean energy engineering

March 17, 2006

Blue Energy Canada Inc., a tidal current energy company based in Vancouver, is excited to announce its involvement as a partner in the UBC Research Capabilities Enhancement Project. The $172,000 project is co-funded by Western Economic Diversification and the B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and will benefit Blue Energy, the University of British Columbia and the B.C. renewable ocean energy industry. Blue Energy is a developer of a vertical-axis hydro-turbine with the intent of harnessing electricity from tidal currents throughout the world.

"The Faculty of Applied Science is excited to collaborate with Blue Energy," says Project Director and UBC instructor Jon Mikkelsen. "Their $55,000 contribution was vital in making this project possible, which will support the growing ocean renewable energy industry through the provision of skilled personnel and accessible research equipment. Additionally, this project lays the foundation for the development of a UBC Ocean Energy Centre in collaboration with the Ocean Renewable Energy Group."

The project began on March 1, 2006 and is scheduled to last one year. Major project components include the design and purchase of experimental equipment for use at the on-campus towing-tank facility, funding to support the development of computer models and funding to hire a consultant from the Ocean Renewable Energy Group to look into establishing an Ocean Engineering Centre at UBC.

UBC Contact: ErinRose Handy
Communications Officer
Faculty of Applied Science
The University of British Columbia
5000-2332 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
Telephone: 604-822-1524
Fax: 604-822-7006
erinrose.handy@ubc.ca

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