Eaton Corp., Cleveland, will help to develop an underwater, utility-scale energy generation system for the United States Navy. The system will enable the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) to utilize underwater turbine electricity production technology to provide a sustainable source of utility-scale power by capturing power from ocean currents. NAVFAC is the U.S. Navy's engineering command committed to the procurement and maintenance of the Navy’s land-based and port facilities.
Eaton is contracted to support the project’s land-based engineering, and will develop high-voltage electrical distribution equipment to efficiently convert and transmit safe, reliable alternative energy from the depths of the ocean to Navy shore facilities. The company’s participation in the project is in collaboration with privately held marine service providers Eclipse Group Inc., leading underwater construction efforts, and Triton Energy Systems, LLC, leading underwater generation engineering efforts. For the project, Eaton has been designated as an Eclipse qualified partner on a Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) SEAPORT-E five year contract with a possible capacity in excess of $19 billion.
“This collaboration will help meet the technical challenges associated with high-voltage generation in a saltwater environment, “ said Jim Dankowski, manager, Marketing and Business Development, Government Sales and Solutions, Eaton. “It will also promote the commercial viability of deep ocean current alternative energy, which has vast potential to become an established, highly-reliable and efficient source of energy.”