Levi Kilcher leads NREL's ocean energy resource assessment and site characterization activities, and leads a U.S. Department of Energy funded multi-lab project focused on these topics in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. This project delivers public data needed for marine energy device design and project engineering. He is an active member in developing International Electrotechnical Commission standards for marine energy performance and resource assessment. He has provided technical assistance to Alaskan tribal organizations on energy solutions appropriate to their environment, including wave, tidal, riverine, wind, solar, and biomass energy options. He is passionate about solving challenging problems, connecting people, audience-aware and nonviolent communication, and exploring wild places.

Research Interests

Wave and tidal energy resource assessment and site characterization

Wave and tidal array engineering

Education

PhD, Physical Oceanography, Oregon State University

BS, Physics, Oregon State University

Featured Work

Tidal Resource Gaps Analysis Technical Report, NREL Technical Report (2023)

Igiugig Site Visit Report, NREL Technical Report (2021)

Marine Energy in the United States: An Overview of Opportunities, NREL Technical Report (2021)

Turbulence measurements from compliant moorings–Part II: Motion Correction, Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology (2017)

Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Site Identification and Ranking Methodology Part I: Wave Energy, NREL Technical Report (2016)

Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Site Identification and Ranking Methodology Part II: Tidal Energy, NREL Technical Report (2016)

Determining the Spatial Coherence of Turbulence at MHK sites, Marine Energy Technology Symposium (2014)

View all NREL publications for Levi Kilcher.