UMass Amherst and MRECo Bridge Lab Testing and Open-Water Marine Energy Trials

7 October 2026
Edited By: Lauren Ernst

UMass Amherst and the Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative (MRECo) are working together to create a streamlined pathway for marine energy developers to move technologies from laboratory testing into real-world ocean conditions.

A wave flume with a wind turbine spar in the UMass Amherst Ocean Resources and Renewable Energy Group lab. Top: Aerial view of the Bartholomew Gosnold Monument on Cuttyhunk Island (Image credit: Creative Commons/John Phelan).

Through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Ocean Innovation Network, the UMass Amherst Ocean Resources and Renewable Energy Group (ORRE) and MRECo are connecting laboratory-scale testing with affordable, pre-permitted open-water testing at MRECo’s Cuttyhunk Test Range (CTR) and Bourne Tidal Test Site (BTTS).

The ORRE Group, which is led by Krish T. Sharman, professor and Endowed Chair Emeritus in Renewable Energy in the Riccio College of Engineering, and is hosted by the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, conducts research in a wave-current laboratory at UMass Amherst capable of producing ocean waves, tidal currents, and combined wave-and-current conditions. Designated as a US Department of Energy TEAMER facility, the lab can be used to test wave energy and tidal energy conversion devices, as well as components used in marine energy systems, which provides developers with an opportunity to test and refine technologies in a controlled environment before moving into the ocean. Once technologies are ready for the next stage of development, MRECo’s test sites provide access to real marine conditions without requiring developers to establish their own test infrastructure.

The CTR is being developed to provide a low-cost, pre-permitted environment for testing marine energy technologies in real ocean conditions without the cost and complexity associated with creating a new test site for every project.

UMass plans to host live feeds from the CTR or BTTS in the new Sustainable Engineering Lab building, which will allow students to observe marine energy technologies being tested in actual ocean conditions and connect classroom learning with ongoing field research.

MRECo is a nonprofit organization that brings together academic, industry, governmental-regulatory, and public-interest stakeholders to promote the sustainable development of renewable energy in New England Ocean waters. MRECo operates and develops marine energy testing infrastructure, including the CTR and BTTS, to support research, development, and testing of emerging ocean technologies. More information can be found at mreconewengland.org.