Thielen to speak at European wave energy conference

HONOLULU— Hawaii State Representative Cynthia Thielen (R—Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) will speak at the Opening Ceremony of the 9th European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference Series (EWTEC) in September in Southampton, England. A biennial event, thi international conference brings together global leaders in ocean-based renewable energy and has a strong emphasis on academic merit, technical and scientific aspects, and policy.

Thielen will present a Proclamation from the State of Hawaii during the Opening Ceremony of the EWTEC. She joins a select group of dignitaries from the United Kingdom in kicking off the week-long event, including Mr. Chris Huhne MP, Secretary of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

In 2008, Oceanlinx proposed a “wave farm” off of Maui in 2008 and received preliminary approval from the state in 2010. A wave energy device has be undergoing development and testing in waters off of Windward Oahu, and in 2010 became the first wave energy device in the United States to generate electricity to the grid.