The U.S. Energy Department said it released $25 million in funding for the advance of wave and solar energy, with solar setting installation records.
The Energy Department said it was working with the U.S. Navy by offering $10 million to support the continued development of wave energy conversion devices at a military base in Hawaii. The project is being developed by MHK Technologies.
The installed wave facility is the only one of its kind in the country that's connected to a grid. The government said the Hawaii installation is part of a "critical step" toward commercialization of wave energy technology.
In a separate tranche, the department said $15 million was made available to address grid challenges associated with variable forms of renewable energy like solar power.
"With more solar power installed in the United States in the last 18 months than in 30 years prior, solar is shattering records," the Energy Department said Wednesday.
President Barack Obama's solar agenda came under fire following the 2011 bankruptcy of Solyndra, which received more than $500 million in federal loan guarantees.
The Energy Department said there's enough solar power installed on the U.S. grid to meet the energy demands of 3.2 million average households.
