OES Annual Report 2012 - Ocean Energy Systems

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The Study has produced a series of recommendations to help move the industry forward in Wales. The
Study is due for publication in December 2012.
Low Carbon Research Institute – Marine Energy Research Group
The Low Carbon Research Institute (LCRI) has been set up to unite and promote energy research in Wales to
help deliver a low carbon future. £7m has been set aside for marine energy research and this is managed by
the Marine Energy Research Group (MERG) based at Swansea University. The organisation of the research
work has been specifically designed to answer environmental and engineering concerns, and supply
stakeholders with the information required to reduce risk and instill confidence in the industry.
Current research themes include the interaction of tidal turbine rotor blades with combined tide, wave and
turbulent flows; marine vessel survey of high energy wave and tidal sites; CFD modeling of wave machines,
tidal turbines, arrays, wakes, scour and deposition; environmental impact analysis of wave and tidal energy
sites. The group has a strong role in the support of early stage device developers and the supply chain,
together with public awareness and dissemination activities.
Sustainable Expansion of the Applied Coastal and Marine Sectors
Bangor University’s Sustainable Expansion of the Applied Coastal and Marine Sectors (SEACAMS) project
received funding in 2010 from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly
Government. SEACAMS will promote the integration of research and business opportunities in the marine
sector, to expand it at a time when there are many environmental and socio-economic challenges related to
climate change and enormous opportunities for research and commercial activity in the environmental sector.
SEACAMS fosters new collaborative links with industrial partners who wish to exploit new opportunities in
these areas.
NORTHERN IRELAND
A Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy has been set up in Queen’s University Belfast to facilitate
business led research into sustainable Energy Technologies including wave and tidal technologies. The
centre is working with Northern Ireland and international companies in a number of projects including
tidal testing techniques. A Centre for Advanced Engineering and Composites has been set up attached to
Bombardier Aerospace to facilitate business led research into, amongst other advanced engineering, the
development of composites which will include manufacture of components for renewable technologies.
Participation in Collaborative International Projects
The UK is a member of the EU Member State Ocean Energy Interest Group (9 Member States). In November
2011, a report published in collaboration with the European Ocean Energy Association “Towards European
industrial leadership in Ocean Energy in 2020”, calling for funding and support from the EU Commission
to drive forward marine energy. The report was a high level statement of our collective willingness to work
together and cooperate in this technology area and also of our keenness to form a strategic partnership
with the European Commission, to achieve a strong European ocean energy industry and capability to
secure low carbon, jobs, skills and growth. The Interest Group has since submitted an agreed response to
the recent Commission consultation on Ocean Energy and is currently working on a proposal for European
Commission funding of an EU Ocean Energy ERA-NET to facilitate further development of collaboration
between Member States. The ORECCA (Offshore Renewable Energy Conversion Platform Coordination
Action) Project is an EU FP7 funded collaborative project.
Awards for the European Commission NER 300 funding to support the deployment of early stage
commercial arrays is anticipated by the end of 2012. Two Scottish-based tidal stream bids were shortlisted
for this award.
ANNUAL
REPORT 2012