SAIC Helps Virginia Become a Maritime Renewable Energy Research Leader

For several years, SAIC has pursued the concept of marine renewable energy as a logical extension of the company's work in naval undersea and ocean observation applications. SAIC's Neil Rondorf conceived of and led the effort to establish VCERC at Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Va.

Based on his observation of trends within the European energy industry and their significant use of offshore renewable energy, particularly wind technology, Rondorf began looking for similar opportunities on the East and West Coasts of the U.S.

VCERC is the East Coast opportunity, and the vision behind it was to join together the expertise and intellect from academia and industry to solve the challenges to renewable maritime energy in North America. A strong supporter of this endeavor was State Sen. Frank Wagner (R), whose district includes the northwestern portion of Virginia Beach.

A promising technology

Rondorf is vice president, maritime technologies, and manager of the Maritime Engineering and Marine Operations divisions in the Defense and Maritime Solutions Business Unit. Rondorf said he felt it was natural for SAIC to focus on maritime renewable energy technologies given SAIC's strong credentials in naval undersea systems, and "because maritime renewables were among the least mature, but most promising, of the energy industries."

VCERC examines a diverse set of maritime renewable energy sources. The most well-known is wind, but VCERC research priorities also include tidal and wave energy, and the cultivation of marine algae for conversion to biodiesel and other fuels.

"Just looking at what has been accomplished in Europe," Rondorf said, "we felt that renewable maritime energy technologies could supply a significant percentage of the future energy demand on the U.S. coasts." Initial estimates forecast that offshore wind energy can supply up to 20 percent of Virginia's energy demand. "Therefore," he said, "creating VCERC was essential to establishing Virginia's leadership role.

A renewable energy model

State Sen. Wagner recognized SAIC's support to bring about the VCERC concept: "The Commonwealth of Virginia and those working to address our energy future are grateful for SAIC's vision and commitment to finding workable concepts to bring energy solutions to Virginia. The creation of VCERC and SAIC's contribution to it will go a long way to beginning the process of researching our maritime resources in an environmentally responsible way."

SAIC's collaboration with State Sen. Wagner, "the Virginia energy guru," resulted in the Energy Policy Act of 2006, which established VCERC as an interdisciplinary study, research, and information resource on coastal energy issues. Earlier this year, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine signed the budget that provided VCERC with $1.5 million in initial research funding to begin to address coastal energy issues.

"We wanted to establish credibility and define issues," Rondorf said. "We're looking to establish a broad base of information for engagement so we can keep the discussions factual and not emotional, so that we don't run up against the sort of issues that derailed the Cape Wind project in Massachusetts."

The Cape Wind project faltered in part due to a poor understanding of the interrelated issues associated with maritime renewable energy generation, and the impact on the other traditional users of the ocean space. Part of the VCERC mission is to identify those concerns and develop ideas on how to address them constructively.

The VCERC approach accounts for factors that may not be obvious to a company whose sole goal is the development and promotion of a single technology.

"SAIC brings a technology-neutral and science-based perspective to find the right technology solutions for the future," Rondorf said. "We don't have a product we're selling — we're trying to find the most cost-effective and efficient energy solution, with the least amount of impact."

With VCERC, Rondorf said, "what we've tried to establish is a resource available to the Commonwealth of Virginia, but it will apply to the state agencies up and down the East Coast and businesses interested in engaging in maritime energy development. We have huge offshore resources on the East Coast, but little resident expertise in maritime energy development. This was a way to provide that expertise. We want other states and businesses to be able to come to Virginia and say, 'Hey, they've done their homework.'"

Environmental compatibility

That homework includes "being out there in an environmentally compatible way," which means looking at the impact to all stakeholders — migratory fowl, the fishing industry, other marine species that might be impacted, the military, and the ocean biosphere as a whole.

"If we do that," Rondorf said, "then we've also created the possibility for aquaculture or other resource development," including wind turbines that are designed to last for decades, built on artificial reefs that could support fisheries. There are ways to develop energy resources that can help the nation that enhance the environment that traditional users are trying to protect."

Looking at offshore energy from every angle and developing the issues and their solutions could result in more than just maritime energy generation.

For example, using algae as an energy source is an example of the significant potential for creative energy solutions. Certain kinds of algae produce considerable quantities of oils, which can then be converted to bio-diesel or solid fuels that could replace coal. And not only does algae consume carbon dioxide and produce oxygen during photosynthesis, it can also absorb other greenhouse gasses, such as nitrogen oxides. An extremely hardy plant form, it can grow nearly anywhere, even in sewage, and in temperatures that range from boiling to frozen.

Rondorf's knowledge of the maritime environment run — you might say — deep. An oceanographer by training and a submariner by vocation, he spent 27 years on active duty in the Navy before coming to SAIC six years ago. His experience gives him unusual and valuable insight. "My experiences with physical oceanography and living in a controlled, deepwater environment have influenced my every day life," he said of his long Navy experience.

One piece in the energy puzzle

Rondorf is quick to point out that there is no one single energy source that is going to make this country energy independent. But marine renewable energy is attractive for a variety of reasons. One of those is that the other primary energy sources in Virginia, nuclear, coal and natural gas, are experiencing increasing demand by industry, but their current output is not increasing to match that demand.

The demand pressure on the natural gas industry due to its clean production capability is in turn putting tremendous pressure on manufacturing sectors, which is why the Virginia Manufacturers Association has embraced the maritime renewable energy concept.

Related Information

• Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium (www.vcerc.org)
• University Heads State Initiative on Renewable Energy (www.odu.edu)