THIS PROJECT WILL PERFORM A PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A U.S. GRID-CONNECTED OCEAN CURRENT TEST FACILITY (OCTF) TO EVALUATE CURRENT ENERGY CONVERTERS (CECS) IN THE OPEN OCEAN OFFSHORE PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA. IT IS EXPECTED THAT A VIABLE GRID-CONNECTED FACILITY WILL BE CAPABLE OF TESTING A VARIETY OF PROTOTYPE CECS TO ADVANCE RELIABLE, LOW COST, RENEWABLE ENERGY ALTERNATIVES TO FOSSIL FUEL. PROTOTYPE TESTING IS ESSENTIAL TO MATURE EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES, VALIDATE PERFORMANCE AGAINST ANALYTIC MODELS, DEMONSTRATE COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE DESIGN STANDARDS AND MITIGATE THE TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL RISK OF DEVELOPING PROJECTS FOR THE UTILITY GRID MARKET. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PERFORM A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION OF THE TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND REGULATORY CHALLENGES INVOLVED IN CONSTRUCTING AN OFFSHORE TEST FACILITY FOR PROTOTYPE CECS. SEVEN PRIMARY DELIVERABLES WILL BE DEVELOPED UNDER THIS PROJECT TO ASSESS THE SCOPE AND FEASIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTING THIS FACILITY: 1. PRELIMINARY REQUIREMENTS DATABASE 2. PRELIMINARY SUBMARINE SYSTEMS TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 3. PRELIMINARY SHORESIDE FACILITIES TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION 4. PRELIMINARY REGULATORY AND PERMITTING PLAN 5. PRELIMINARY PROJECTED COST ESTIMATE 6. PRELIMINARY RISK ASSESSMENT 7. PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN 8. RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS THESE PRE-CONSTRUCTION PLAN DELIVERABLES WILL ENABLE THE TEST FACILITY’S DEVELOPER, INVESTORS, FUTURE USERS, PARTNER COMMUNITIES, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE, COSTS, AND RISKS THAT COULD BE ANTICIPATED IF THE FACILITY WERE TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED IN THE FUTURE.