As the universal need to move from fossil fuel-based energy sources to renewables grows, it is imperative that all renewable sources should be examined thoroughly. The power of ocean waves is a global resource that has a higher concentration than both wind and solar energy. Currently rough estimates of global available wave power are 1 TW near shore and 10 TW offshore. This compares very favourably when compared against the total world power consumption of approximately 10TW. The West Coast Wave Initiative (WCWI) at the University of Victoria is a multi-disciplinary group of academics and industry members committed to quantitatively determining the feasibility, impacts and possible structure of wave energy conversion on the west coast of Canada. The group is developing industry leading wave energy resource assessment methods, numerical simulation tools for Wave Energy Converters (WEC) and numerical grid integration toolboxes to create the most accurate possible assessment of the feasibility of wave energy conversion in British Columbia. WCWI members are continually striving to better understand the environment in which WEC function, the technological and social impacts of WEC development and the policy steps required to ensure wave energy conversion if thoroughly examined as we move towards more renewable and less harmful energy sources for future generations. Support for green transportation research team led by mechanical engineer Zuomin Dong working with UVic’s Institute for Integrated Energy Systems received $1.4 million from the federal government to kickstart. A further $1-million investment was received from the charitable Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and Seaspan Shipyards.
11:30 AM - Event Login Opens
11:45 AM – Event Welcome and Introduction
12:00 PM – Presentation with Q&A
1:00 PM – Event Finishes
Chair Mechanical Engineering
University of Victoria
Dr. Brad Buckham is the Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and a member of the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems at the University of Victoria. He specializes in offshore mechanics with a focus on marine energy technologies and resource assessment. Brad’s graduate student team comprises the West Coast Wave Initiative (WCWI) and focus on innovation in the wave energy space. Brad is also co-director of the Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED) – a marine energy commercialization hub that uses student developed tools, methods and datasets in efforts to identify BC’s strategic marine energy sites, and to help develop plans for community-based wave and tidal energy projects. Dr. Buckham’s contributions to research and training in the marine renewables sector have been recognized by the BC Innovation Council, Natural Resources Canada and Mitacs Canada. In his role as a university instructor, he was the 2018 recipient of Excellence in Teaching awards from the Engineers and Geoscientists of BC and Engineers Canada.
