An important component of sustainability is for renewable energy sources to be compatible with the local environment. For sub-tropical, small-island nations like Okinawa, the local ecosystem presents unique challenges and uncertainties in deploying ‘standard’ renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind. On the other hand, vast marine resources potentially offer new sources of energy that are unavailable elsewhere.
At OIST, multidisciplinary teams of marine biologists, physicists, engineers and materials scientists explore the harvesting of energy from waves, tides, and ocean currents [J. Energy and Power Eng. 12 375 (2018)]. We utilize advanced statistical physics, analytical tools and microgrids to optimize wind and solar energy utilization [PRL 118 028301 (2017), Phys. Rev. Applied 21 034019 (2024)]. We quantify financial risks and rewards associated with the uncertainties of sustainable energy projects. We also seek to pioneer the development of novel alternative fuels and unique hydrogen technologies.