CalWave, a California-based developer of wave energy technologies, has been selected as the technology provider for a wave energy project in Yuquot, British Columbia (BC) in collaboration with the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation (MMFN). The project is indigenous-led and supported by funding from TD Bank Group and the Clean Energy in Rural and Remote Communities Program under Natural Resources Canada. Various partners across Canada, including the Pacific Research Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED), Barkley Project Group, Canpac Marine Services, and Environmental Dynamics, are involved in the project.
The MMFN is currently focused on reclaiming their land, reconstructing their community, and harnessing the power of the North Pacific waves to support their new microgrid. With the goal of achieving energy self-sufficiency, this project is pioneering in the field of wave energy for coastal community microgrids. The potential impact of this initiative extends beyond Yuquot as it serves as a model for similar projects along the North American Pacific Coast and globally. Currently in the feasibility and design stage, information gathering is ongoing to inform decisions on full implementation of the project.
Azar Kamran, CEO of MMFN expressed his community’s vision for Yuquot as a hub of innovation in community building and clean energy development. The village has always been a trade hub and now stands ready to once again become a center of excellence for sustainable practices and technological innovation.