OES Annual Report 2012 - Ocean Energy Systems

VII
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Appreciating the kind words of our retiring Chairman, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Dr. John
Huckerby for four inspiring years, in which he consistently put his efforts into enhancing and improving the
OES activities and involvement.
The last year had a number of interesting ocean energy developments and some topics of actual importance
are reflected in this 2012 Annual Report of Ocean Energy Systems (OES).
Ocean Energy Systems (OES) is the short name for the international technology initiative on Ocean Energy
under the IEA, known as the ‘Implementing Agreement on Ocean Energy Systems’.
Chapter 1 is an introductory chapter addressing the organisational aspects of OES.
Chapter 2 provides information about present membership, a brief description of the current work
programme, collaborative activities with the IEA and sponsorship initiatives in which the Executive
Committee (ExCo) was involved during the year.
Key accomplishments during 2012 are presented in Chapter 3. Membership of the OES involves a
commitment to national participation in certain collaborative research activities. Some of these research
projects generally have duration of a number of years and are led by an ‘Operating Agent’ from a member
country, responsible for co-ordinating each project and reporting on progress to the ExCo. Under the OES
nomenclature these research projects are defined as ‘Annexes’ to the Implementing Agreement. The ExCo
has also introduced some shorter-term projects (approximately 1 year duration) called ‘Activities’. During
2012 the following research projects and activities were conducted:
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Communication and outreach activities, including presentations at 13 international ocean energy
conferences around the world;
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Phase II of the International Vision brochure and the respective modelling work in collaboration with the
IEA modelling team;
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Research project “Assessment of Environmental Effects and Monitoring Efforts for Ocean Wave, Tidal
and Current Energy Systems” (Annex IV to be concluded in March 2013);
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Research project “The Exchange and Assessment of Ocean Energy Device Project Information and
Experience” (Annex V initiated in 2012 and running for 3 years).
Under Chapter 4 each OES member country presents its national programme activities over the last year,
including The Netherlands and France as Observers.
As in previous years Chapter 5 presents invited papers prepared by subject experts. This year we present
four papers based upon a theme of “Development of the International Ocean Energy Industry –
Performance Improvements and Cost Reductions”.
In the first article “Cost Reduction Pathways for Wave Energy”, Mirko Previsic (Re Vision Consulting),
discusses important considerations for evaluating technologies in the US wave energy sector, such as
projected costs, uncertainty ranges in the cost assessment process, economies of scale, learning curves and
key areas in which cost reductions potentially can be attained within the near-term. He further highlights
the need for strong RD&D programs to ensure technology innovation, concluding that “Nurturing this
innovation potential and carefully benchmarking novel concepts and technologies will be critically important
over the coming years if substantial cost reductions are to be attained.”