Thornton describes the industry as in its infancy. It's a period of great experimentation, overflowing with creative technologies. "Once they figure out ____________________________, then it's the business side of it." The Scottish firm, Aquamarine Power, is one of several other foreign companies scouting here.
Aquamarine outreach coordinator Theresa Wisner recently described her firm's near-shore device to the Tillamook County Commission. Called the Oyster, it's a very large mechanical flap resting on the sea bottom. "What happens is a wave comes in from the ocean. It forces the top of the Oyster down onto some pistons, and those pistons force that water into high pressure water line that goes ashore to. It's called a Pelton wheel, just one of ____________________________."
Wisner was followed to the podium in Tillamook by a representative for Seattle, Washington-based Principle Power. Kevin Bannister described his company's plans for floating wind farms offshore of Oregon and Portugal. "The design came from the oil and gas industry. So semi-submersible platforms like this one are not terribly new, ____________________________ however is a new idea."
