A green energy invention will be tested on Lake Erie this summer. How it works

William Lyman wants to tap into an energy source that he says no one is taking advantage of and he wants to try it first in Erie County.

"There's an enormous amount of energy out in the ocean," said Lyman, founder and CEO of Breakwave Energy.

His renewable energy company has designed a wave energy converter that could one day be used in oceans. But before that can happen, they plan to try a prototype in Lake Erie off Harborcreek Township. While that would only be temporary, local officials hope it could lead to bigger things for Erie County in terms of manufacturing and jobs.

"There's a greater economic development play here," Erie County Executive Brenton Davis said.

He said other companies could follow that first need a place to test their prototypes and then a place to manufacture their products. Erie County has the lack of red tape and lower costs for expenses such as warehouse space that could appeal not only to wave technology developers but also other developing companies.

Lyman said there could be a huge market for his wave energy converter and he'd like to see Erie become a part of that with its base in manufacturing and its central location. His company has already done work with Penn State Behrend and Gannon University.

"I really like Erie," he said. "I would love to see our manufacturing take off and employ people from the local colleges."

What is Breakwave Energy

Located in San Diego, Breakwave Energy was founded by Lyman in 2018 and has two employees, he said.

"Breakwave Energy is harnessing the power of the ocean to bring a new wave of energy to the world," the company's website says.

"By leveraging cutting-edge technology and data analysis, we strive to develop solutions that minimize environmental impact and promote sustainable practices for a healthier ocean ecosystem," the site also says.

Lyman, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL and a big wave surfer, said much of the work is funded by him but the company also launched a crowdfunding campaign on Raise Green.

"The funds raised will be instrumental in advancing our research and development efforts, specifically focusing on refining our innovative wave energy converters. These funds will also aid in the continued testing of our technology at the Lake Erie site, where we are making strides in proving the feasibility and effectiveness of wave energy," the company's website says.

Testing in Lake Erie

Breakwave has a prototype of its wave energy converter that is about 30 feet long, 20 feet high and 15 feet wide, Lyman said. He said their design beats competitors because it doesn't put expensive equipment at great depths in the water where maintenance is also expensive. Future full-blown versions of the converter would be larger, he said.

"I designed everything about this prototype with all of everybody's angst, apprehension and anxiety in mind," he said. He said his system creates less visual pollution than offshore wind projects.

Breakwave's system is mounted on the shore. Lyman said a sort of modified boogie board, called a wave catch or surf catch, is all that touches the water, about 20 to 30 feet from shore. The wave catch hangs from a boom crane that leads back to energy storage on shore.

"As a wave hits the surf catch, it will travel shoreward underneath the boom, guided by the guidelines, pulling the power cable hooked up to the weight in the weight transfer unit," Lyman said in a video on YouTube made during an April visit to try setting up the prototype in Harborcreek.

More surf's up: Presque Isle State Park open to surfing year-round at additional locations

Lyman couldn't give a date for when the testing would take place, other than not before May 28. He said it depends on waves and weather.

"The entire thing will probably take half a day," he said.

But he would consider a longer commitment to Erie County, possibly setting up base here.

'Good for Erie County'

Lyman said he didn't know Pennsylvania had a lakeshore until told by an acquaintance who happened to be Davis. Davis, also a Navy veteran, said Lyman was one of his instructors more than 20 years ago. When Davis heard about Lyman's project, he shared information about resources in Erie County, which Lyman then visited.

"He recognized the potential," Davis said, adding that includes the local colleges, the variable four seasons of testing conditions the area offers, transportation and more.

Harborcreek Supervisor Stephen Oler said that if the prototype works, Breakwave Energy would be looking for a manufacturing location and he touted Erie County and specifically Harborcreek.

"When you compare California prices and Erie County prices, we look pretty good," Oler said.

He said Harborcreek officials learned about Breakwave through Davis and had phone and Zoom meetings with the company about the testing. It will take place on township property at Shorewood Beach and will be temporary, he said.

"I think it's good for Erie County," Oler said about the project.

Harborcreek supervisors on Wednesday voted 3-0 to authorize the township solicitor "to draft a Hold Harmless Agreement between Breakwave and Harborcreek Township to include adding Harborcreek Township as additionally insured for their temporary use of Shorewood Beach for a research project on wave energyprototype," according to Oler and their May 15 meeting agenda.

Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@timesnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County PA beach picked to test renewable energy prototype