In this July 26, 2016 photo, a model of a wave energy test site at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii shows undersea cables that hold machinery in place. The cables in the middle move up and down with the waves, turning the wheels of generators in the donut-shaped Lifesaver device, which is deployed at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (AP Photo/Cathy Bussewitz) The ocean's vast, endless movement packs the power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs.
Nevertheless, wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power, with technical hurdles still to be overcome.
To help accomplish that, the Navy is testing wave energy devices in the turquoise waters off Hawaii.
The project consists of two buoys that generate electricity from the up-and-down and side-to-side movement of the ocean.
Some of the modest amount of current generated is being fed into Oahu's power grid. Experts say it is the first wave-produced electricity to go online in the U.S.
In this July 26, 2016 photo, Patrick Cross, specialist at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, shows a model of a wave energy machine called the Lifesaver, a donut-shaped device that converts the motion of waves into electricity, in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. The cables in the middle move up and down with the waves, turning the wheels of generators in the donut-shaped Lifesaver device, which is deployed at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base in Kaneohe Bay. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (AP Photo/Cathy Bussewitz) 
This 2015 photo provided by Northwest Energy Innovations shows the Azura wave energy device, which is converting the movement of waves into electricity at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (Steven Kopf/Northwest Energy Innovations via AP) 
This 2015 photo provided by Northwest Energy Innovations shows crews installing the Azura wave energy device, which is converting the movement of waves into electricity at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (Steven Kopf/Northwest Energy Innovations via AP) 
This 2015 photo provided by Northwest Energy Innovations shows the Azura wave energy device, which is converting the movement of waves into electricity at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (Justin Klure/Northwest Energy Innovations via AP) 
This 2015 photo provided by Northwest Energy Innovations shows the Azura wave energy device, which is converting the movement of waves into electricity at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (Steven Kopf/Northwest Energy Innovations via AP) 
This 2016 photo provided by Norwegian company Fred. Olsen shows the Lifesaver wave energy device, which is converting the movement of waves into electricity, at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (Even Hjetland/Fred. Olsen via AP) 
This 2016 photo provided by Norwegian company Fred. Olsen shows the Lifesaver wave energy device, which is converting the movement of waves into electricity at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (Even Hjetland/Fred. Olsen via AP) 
This 2016 photo provided by Norwegian company Fred. Olsen shows the Lifesaver wave energy device, which is converting the movement of waves into electricity, at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site at the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay on Oahu in Hawaii. By some estimates, the ocean's endless motion packs enough power to meet a quarter of America's energy needs and dramatically reduce the nation's reliance on oil, gas and coal. But wave energy technology lags well behind wind and solar power. (Even Hjetland/Fred. Olsen via AP)
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