Launched in the 2024-2025 academic year, this collaboration between the university and EXWC’s Marine Energy Development Program is a multi-year, multi-disciplinary capstone project to design, build, test, and field an Expeditionary Ocean Power Generator (ExOPG).
“This opportunity will expose students – the brilliant workforce of tomorrow – to the emerging field of marine energy while at the same time contributing to the energy needs of the Department of the Navy via technology development,” Judy Santa Cruz, Marine Energy Development Program Technical Lead with EXWC’s Ocean Cables and Unmanned Systems Division, said.
“The students bring unique, fresh perspectives to the process. Working hand in hand with the end user and NAVFAC EXWC engineers will give the students the experience of delivering a research and development project for a realistic application,” she said.
For this inaugural session, a team of five mechanical engineering students and four electrical engineering students selected EXWC from a list of sponsors for capstone projects.
The project is for developing a portable system that would convert and store electrical energy from ocean movement in the near-shore ocean environment. The device would need to be able to withstand rough handling and be portable enough to be liftable by hand by two boat crew members.
“The ocean is a challenging and rugged environment, especially for electronics, therefore we are motivated and look forward to tackling the unique challenges ahead,” electrical engineering student Julian Steele said.
EXWC is actively researching, developing, testing and evaluating ocean energy conversion devices through the Marine Energy Development Program. EXWC manages and operates the Wave Energy Test Site in Hawaii to advance wave energy technology via in-situ testing to assess technology readiness.
The capstone project addresses a need to support the field and remote activities and would open an avenue to recharge batteries without the need for heavy and bulky diesel power generators – reducing a logistics footprint and sustaining the warfighter’s mission without a need for resupply.
“The Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office sees the undeniable potential that ExOPG brings to support operations in the littorals,” according to Marine Corps Capt. Joshua Ashley of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office, representing the end user.
“Making the warfighter self-sufficient in a contested logistics environment where energy supply chains are not a certainty is foundational to our mission. The ExOPG capability falls directly in line with current Marine Corps operating concepts by providing small, disaggregated units the ability to produce power close to the point of use, increasing survivability and lethality,” he said.
Senior Mechanical Engineer Dennis How, who is leading the program for EXWC, described the effort as an exciting collaboration with talented students.
“Within the first two months, the students strategized a comprehensive plan, conducted basic research, and presented thorough, industry-quality, preliminary design reviews. The students are enthusiastic, proactive self-starters who are finding creative paths to continue progress as they await input from us at EXWC,” he said.
The students, How said, are aware of the importance of this project and its relevancy with the end-user and potential commercial interest. The process, he noted, is exacting but the results are rewarding.
“The students are learning to work within constraints of the natural environment, user requirements, administrative schedules, and military specifications,” he explained. “They will experience the product delivery cycle, from concept to design to manufacture to test. This practical, comprehensive experience is beyond the typical university curriculum. In return, the students will bring new ideas and an innovative product to solve an actual EXWC problem.”
Cal Poly Professor of Mechanical Engineering Jim Widmann hailed the collaboration, saying it engages students and allows them to apply their learning in creative, thoughtful and exciting ways for applications that provide benefits outside the classroom.
“At Cal Poly we value an experiential, ‘Learn by Doing’ education. By partnering with EXWC we can provide our students with real-world challenges that enhance their learning and provide the Navy with innovative ideas for their design problems,” he said. “This partnership enhances both our missions and positions our students to be day-one ready graduates.”
Throughout the academic year, the students will follow the design process and engage with EXWC and stakeholders. The collaboration includes discussions on design reviews and monthly status meetings. The academic year will end with a Design Expo display and final report and prototype.
“This is a very exciting collaboration and we look forward to continuing the relationship with Cal Poly for many years to come,” Santa Cruz added.