MRECo Develops Two Marine Energy Test Sites in Massachusetts

The Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative of New England (MRECo) is developing and improving two ocean testing sites in Massachusetts: the Bourne Tidal Test Site (BTTS) in the Cape Cod Canal and the Cuttyhunk Test Range (CTR) off Cuttyhunk Island.

Together, these sites give innovators a safe, affordable, and permitted way to deploy new ocean technologies in the water, bridging the gap between lab experiments and real-world use.

The Bourne Tidal Test Site, located in the Cape Cod Canal, is a platform built specifically for testing tidal energy devices and marine sensors in fast-moving water. The site allows engineers and researchers to see how their technology performs in strong tidal currents, while still being close to shore and easy to access. 

Planned upgrades to the Bourne site will allow for faster testing, real-time data sharing, and improved safety, which will make it further simplified for new ideas to move forward.

Off the coast of Cuttyhunk Island, MRECo is also developing the Cuttyhunk Test Range, a location designed for testing floating devices and wave energy systems. This area experiences ocean waves similar to those found near offshore wind farms along Massachusetts’ South Coast. The site will include permanent moorings, power access, and monitoring equipment to help developers understand how their technologies perform in open-water conditions.

These efforts are part of a larger push to grow Massachusetts’ ocean technology economy through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Ocean Innovation Network, a statewide initiative that connects startups, researchers, and businesses with the facilities, mentorship, and resources they need to bring new clean energy solutions to market. By investing in shared testing infrastructure like BTTS and CTR, MassCEC and its partners are helping ensure that promising ideas don’t stall in the lab, and that Massachusetts remains a national leader in ocean-based climate and energy innovation.

MRECo is the only organization in Massachusetts focused on developing open-water test sites for tidal and wave energy and marine sensors. With decades of combined experience in ocean engineering and testing, MRECo works with startups, universities, and established companies to help new technologies reach the water faster and more affordably