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Ocean Power Technologies (Nasdaq: OPTT) Reports Strong Performance Of Autonomous PowerBuoy In Maritime Security Ocean Operations

johnio78 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:52:48 +0000

Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. announced the results of the ocean operations of its autonomous PowerBuoy recently deployed off the coast of New Jersey for the US Navy. The system delivered a very strong performance, meeting all of its mission specifications. The autonomous PowerBuoy is a self-sustaining persistent power source for offshore equipment and devices, operating in a wide range of sea conditions for multiple applications including maritime security. It is significantly smaller and more compact than the Company’s standard utility PowerBuoy due to the lower power requirements of these deep ocean applications.

Deployed under a contract from the US Navy’s Littoral Expeditionary Autonomous PowerBuoy (LEAP) program, the PowerBuoy was designed by OPT to provide persistent power for the Navy’s radar and communications payload. Project specifications called for a payload power delivery on a continuous basis of 150 watts (150W) with an extended target to exceed this rating. The actual results were significantly better than expected as the PowerBuoy supplied continuous power in excess of 400W throughout the entire deployment and produced peak sustained electrical power of 1,500W. This power more than supported the 150W payload 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the entire duration of the ocean operations over a three-month period. The on-board power management and storage system allowed the payload to be supplied with power even during extended periods of zero wave activity.

The autonomous PowerBuoy performed well in both calm and extreme ocean conditions in the water depth at which it was moored of approximately 37 meters. As previously reported, the PowerBuoy was in the direct path of Hurricane Irene, which hit the New Jersey coastline on Saturday, August 27, 2011. The PowerBuoy emerged from the two-day storm undamaged, having withstood wave heights of over 16 meters. During the storm, the PowerBuoy continued at all times to produce and deliver power as well as dissipate the high amounts of excess energy in accordance with its internal protection systems. In addition, constant communication was maintained with the device during the storm, allowing real time on-land monitoring of the buoy’s performance. In accordance with its design concept and goals, the PowerBuoy operated on a fully-autonomous basis, implementing the requisite power management and self-protection functions without the need for any human intervention.

Read more at Ocean Power Technologies Inc

Aquamarine Power to install two next-gen Wave Energy Converters

johnio78 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:13:14 +0000

By Jessica Shankleman

The demonstrators will become the first near shore wave array in Scotland to be connected to the National Grid, and will supply enough electricity to power more than 1,000 homes, Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said.

Free Training: "Experimental testing in wave tanks and flumes" via MaRINET

Tom — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:35:08 +0000

Apart from excellent opportunities for testing and developing wave and tidal energy technologies at MaRINET facilities, as we posted here, it is also possible now to get a free training on experimental testing in wave tanks. There is even EUR 500 travel grant.

The training takes place in Cork, Ireland, 26-30 March 2012. For more details, go here…

For more posts on MaRINET, go here…

Sources:

MARINET is providing training and education – http://www.fp7-marinet.eu/training.html

Feds look to the ocean for clean energy as scientists debate wave power potential

Tom — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:15:46 +0000

A recap on wave, tidal and ocean thermal energy recent events from Monterey area, USA.

California has vast wave and tidal renewable energy resources, so hopefully Department of Energy will encourage more tests and experiments in the area. One company that has already been working on open sea trials is Atmocean Inc. Read more from Monterey County Weekly…

Plugging into the East River

emhewitt — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:36:00 +0000

SINCE THEIR installation in 2006, six underwater turbines off the coast of Roosevelt Island have powered a parking garage and a Gristedes, broken a few propellers, and killed no fish.

The second phase in Verdant Power’s experiment in grid-connected tidal power was so successful that last month the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the country’s first pilot license for tidal power. By 2015, 30 turbine generators will be installed in the riverbed along Roosevelt Island.

According to Verdant Power, the Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) project is the first grid-connected array of tidal turbines in the world.

Although the three-pronged turbines, five meters in diameter, look like wind turbines, they are notably different. Because they are totally submerged in the river, they are silent and invisible from above water. They turn at a sluggish rate of around 34 RPM, and have rounded edges to lessen the impact on the marine environment. Unlike wind turbines, which rely on often-unpredictable weather patterns, the Verdant project utilizes the reliable ebb and flow of the tidal currents in the East River.

Once the project is installed, the turbines will produce approximately one megawatt of energy from the

tides and the strong currents in the East River – enough to power a thousand city homes.

Free Flow System Turbines transported along the East River in 2008. Credit: Verdant Power, Inc.

Among the biggest concerns about the project is the impact it will have on local aquatic life. Five federally listed endangered species could turn up in the project area, including the leatherback turtle and the shortnose sturgeon. Verdant recognizes the potential risk. WNYC reported in 2007 that of the $6 million Verdant put towards the RITE project, a third of it went towards monitoring the wildlife

In the realm of tidal energy devices, the Verdant turbines are unique in that they can be installed directly in population centers, feeding directly into the urban power grid. As the project develops over the next decade, power from the turbines may eventually be sold to Con Ed.

With interest piquing in alternative energy sources, global interest in the potential for a marine power source is growing. In 2008, Portugal pioneered a program to power 1,000 homes with the world’s first commercial wave farm. Scottish Enterprise has committed more than £19 million to marine energy development, announcing earlier this week a fund of £6m to be made available to encourage new technology in the field.

Nova Scotia surging ahead with tidal energy

oregblog — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:20:47 +0000

Happy Valentine’s Day to Digby County and the islands – a second approval of a tidal energy project under Nova Scotia’s Community-based Feed-in Tariff (COMFIT) is making life busy for Fundy Tidal Inc. and its community partners. Hopes are high that one more proposal for a tidal project in that region and two in Cape Breton will get the nod in coming weeks!

2012 is launching well and by the OREG conference in September we expect that these project approvals, cable installations and launch of the world’s largest tidal generator will be well underway. The emergence of a marine renewable energy industrial development strategy and discussions of the pathway to the first commercial-scale tidal initiatives are essential parts of the Roadmap the sector delivered last November. They are certainly part of demonstrating that by building a new industry for future generations of Nova Scotians, the world of marine renewable energy will be watching Canada.

Scotland Offering £6 Million to Wave and Tidal Marine Energy Companies

Tom — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:54:32 +0000

Scotland is again demonstrating their commitment to pushing forward the development of wave energy and tidal energy technologies. Not only do they talk the talk, but also walk the walk – £6 million of funding is now available to marine energy developers from Scotland or companies planning to establish a subsidiary there. Can you see the logic behind their policies and actions?

Companies based in Scotland and Scottish subsidiaries of overseas companies are invited to submit project proposals that will advance low-cost-of-energy wave and tidal devices. The WATERS 2 fund’s primary focus is in supporting the deployment in Scottish waters of wave and tidal stream energy prototypes. Priority will be given to applications that support viable projects enabling full-scale proving of devices that have already been tested at part-scale, but smaller demonstration projects will also be considered.

Lena Wilson, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise commented, “With £6 million to award, we can help advanced wave and tidal technologies reach the next stage of commercial exploitation – creating new technologies with global potential, R&D jobs, and secure the fabrication and deployment of wave and tidal stream technologies in Scotland.”

This programme is the second round of the remaining competitive funding from the initial WATERS £13 million fund, launched in March 2010. In the first round of WATERS four marine energy projects across Scotland were already awarded funds:

£3.15 million to Aquamarine Power for its next Oyster device
£1.85 million to Open Hydro to develop its tidal devices
£1.39 million to AWS Ocean Energy for its plans to test a ‘doughnut’-shaped wave energy converter in Loch Ness and the Cromarty Firth
£560,000 to Ocean Flow Energy to build and deploy a 35 kW floating grid connected to a tidal energy converter in Sanda Sound, South Kintyre.
A fifth project, which had been earmarked for WATERS funding, has not yet proceeded and was unable to draw down the funding offer

Even if none of these companies gets any extra funding this time, additional capital in the industry creates a good momentum that is useful for everyone around, including the wider supply chain as well. Also, as government is pouring money into the industry, it adds confidence to private sector investors as well (See posts on recent investments here…). Hopefully, some of the prominent industry players like Pelamis and AWS Ocean Energy can benefit from this rising tide and find the deals they are looking for.

Apply for funds here…

Sources:

£6 million wave and tidal energy development funding available through WATERS – http://www.scottish-enterprise.presscentre.com/Press-releases/-6-million-wave-and-tidal-energy-development-funding-available-through-WATERS-47d.aspx
What is WATERS2? – http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/your-sector/energy/energy-how-we-can-help/energy-funding/Wave-and-Tidal-Energy-Fund/waters-overview.aspx
£6 Million Wave and Tidal Energy Funding Available – http://www.scotsrenewables.com/blog/tidalpower/6-million-wave-and-tidal-energy-funding-available/

EMEC Is Reminding About Application Deadline for Funded Access to Wave and Tidal Test Facilities

Tom — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:09:09 +0000

We are mentioning the topic once again (other related posts), but this is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed – FREE access to test and R&D facilities for wave and tidal energy converters located throughout Europe. What’s more, the funding is not only covering facility costs, but also MaRINET provides a contribution towards travel and subsistence costs for users of the initiative. Apply here before February 29th.

Here is another article encouraging to take part in the programme. This time it is written by people from the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland, which is one of the facilities available through MaRINET:

International wave and tidal energy technology developers have less than three weeks to apply for funded access to EMEC’s scale test facilities through global marine research organisation MaRINET (Marine Renewables Infrastructure Network for Emerging Energy Technologies). MaRINET has offered to cover the costs of… Read more from EMEC…

TSB announce new renewables innovation centre in Glasgow

energyresearchgroup — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:47:33 +0000

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) has today announced that the UK-wide consortium bid from Carbon Trust, National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) and Ocean Energy Innovation has been selected to play a pivotal role in setting up the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult. The new Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult will have it’s headquarters in Glasgow – with the operational centre in Northumberland close to the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec). The location in Glasgow will be alongside a number of organisations with complementary interests in the International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone (ITREZ). ITREZ already incorporates Strathclyde University’s £89 million Technology Innovation Centre and has secured industry partners including Scottish and Southern Energy, ScottishPower and the Weir Group.

The new Catapult will focus on technologies applicable to offshore wind, tidal and wave power. It will also build strong links with centres of excellence, such as the European Marine Energy Centre and Wave Hub.

The Catapult, expected to open for business in the summer of 2012, will bring together knowledge, expertise and state of the art facilities to help UK businesses innovate and find new ways to capture and use the power from offshore renewable energy sourcesand may also advise the UK government on its renewable energy policies.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

Alaska's Untapped Potential

oregblog — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:39:03 +0000

The U.S. Department of Energy’s recently released wave and tidal assessments estimate that waves and tidal currents off the Alaskan coast contain enough energy to generate over 850 terawatt hours of electricity per year if developed to their maximum potential. The two nationwide resource assessments estimate Alaska’s significant wave and tidal resources and demonstrate that waves and tidal currents off the nation’s coasts could contribute significantly to the United States’ total annual electricity production, further diversify the nation’s energy portfolio, and provide clean, renewable energy to coastal cities and communities.

Now, Alaska is faced with the challenge of how to realize these potential opportunities. On February 8, 2012 Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) will hold a forum from 6-8 pm at the Anchorage Museum auditorium free of charge for those interested in learning more about Alaska’s renewable energy opportunities. The forum will highlight how much potential these resources offer, what makes sense to develop, and what work has and could be done to capitalize on these energy sources.

For more information, please visit: http://alaskarenewableenergy.org/

For those that don’t live in Alaska, tune in to the live podcast here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/375989497

Massive energy potential waits to be tapped in Alaska's waters

johnio78 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:18:31 +0000

By Hal Spence

Waves and tidal currents off Alaska’s coastline would generate more than 850 terawatt-hours of electrical energy annually if fully developed, according to two reports recently released by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Free Access to Wave, Tidal and Offshore Wind Research Facilities - Application Deadline 29th February

Tom — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:19:17 +0000

MARINET is a new network which aims to accelerate the development of marine renewable energy (wave, tidal & offshore-wind)

You don’t stumble upon this kind of opportunities every day – It is still possible to apply for free access to excellent research and development facilities for wave and tidal technologies (also wind). Whether you or your company are working on small-scale prototypes or open sea trials this is a terrific opportunity. Make sure, however, that you apply before the end of February. Click here to go to the application site…

We have already shortly reviewed one example of the facilities and testing possibilities – check out Spanish Tecnalia and Basque Research Offer Free Tests of Wave Energy Converter’s Electric System. EMEC is also one of the centres available through the programme. This is just one example. In the broader context European marine renewable energy test centres have formed the network in order to streamline the testing process. By coordinating their unique capabilities and services, MARINET essentially provides a one-stop-shop for marine renewable energy research and testing of devices and concepts in Europe and farther afield.

The aim is to advance marine renewables R&D at all scales – from small models and laboratory tests through to prototype scales and open sea tests. Applicants can use different facilities to suit different stages and scales of the technology’s development – results and techniques used at one facility will be recognised by the next facility. MARINET brings together a network of personnel in the offshore marine renewable energy sector with expertise at all scales of marine technology research and development.

To learn more and, let me reiterated again, apply as soon as possible, please visit the programme homepage: http://www.fp7-marinet.eu/

Sources:

MaRINET homepage – http://www.fp7-marinet.eu/

Will DOE’s Water Energy Push Pay Off?

Tom — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:27:05 +0000

Yes, according to Jose Zayas, U.S. Department of Energy Wind and Water Power Program Manager. Zayas said that with funding “across a variety of technologies, in resource assessment, environmental impacts, market barriers and things of that nature” the often described 20-year gap between wave & tidal technologies versus wind can be reduced.

New assessments of U.S. wave energy and tidal current energy potentials (find more details here…) just released mark a milepost in the progress toward these resources’ development. The big takeaway from the authoritative assessments, noted Jose Zayas, is the sheer richness of the resources.

Wave energy across the U.S., the assessment found… Read more from greentechmedia.com

Sources:

Will DOE’s Water Energy Push Pay Off? – http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/will-does-water-energy-push-pay-off/

SeaGen Checks Off 3GWh of Electricity Generation and Prepares for £110 Million Projects

Tom — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:53:30 +0000

Marine Current Turbines (MCT) from Bristol, UK, has confirmed that its 1.2MW SeaGen device had produced more than 3GWh of electricity, since it was first deployed for testing four years ago. This tidal energy generator off the coast of Northern Ireland is reportedly the first in the world to reach this level, thus setting a new yardstick for the tidal energy industry.

SeaGen tidal power plant, Strangford, County Down, Northern Ireland, June 2011 (blades raised for maintenance)

The company has been progressing on many fronts. During 2011 two UK sites were investigated with positive outcomes. Here is a summary of the two planned projects:

Kyle Rhea, Scotland – The 8MW project off the Isle of Skye on Scotland’s west coast comprises up to 4 turbines and will have the capacity to generate electricity for up to 8,000 homes in the Highlands & Islands. MCT is aiming to deploy the tidal farm, costing in the region of £40million, by 2014/15.
Anglesey Skerries, Wales – The proposed tidal energy scheme off Anglesey (north Wales) consists of up to 9 turbines in an area between the Skerries group of rocks and islands and Carmel Head about 1km off the Anglesey coast. The 10MW scheme, which has benefited from funding from the Welsh European Funding Office and has been taken forward by MCT in partnership with RWE npower renewables, will be capable of generating enough power to supply electricity to up to 10,000 homes – approximately 20% of Anglesey’s electricity demand. The estimated project cost is £70million, and the target date for deployment and operation is 2015/16.

Furthermore, an important step has been made in terms of evaluating the environmental impact of tidal turbines. MCT’s SeaGen in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough has been given an environmental all-clear by a group of scientists, as world’s first tidal current energy turbine.

All of these developments had really good timing as wave and tidal energy industries seem to be catching fair amount of attention and attracting considerable investments: UK Government Is Putting Money Where Its Mouth Is – £10.5m Marine Energy Investment and New Marine Energy Park in UK – Hallmark of £20 Million Budget.

To see more posts on tidal energy, go here…

Credit for the image: © Copyright Ardfern and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Sources:

DECC’s Greg Barker Backs Marine Current Turbines’ Plans for its First Tidal Farms – http://www.marineturbines.com/3/news/article/57/decc_s_greg_barker_backs_marine_current_turbines__plans_for_its_first_tidal_farms/
SeaGen Tidal Turbine gets all-clear from environmental & scientific studies – http://www.marineturbines.com/3/news/article/56/seagen_tidal_turbine_gets_all_clear_from_environmental___scientific_studies/
SeaGen Kyle Rhea Project Website – http://www.seagenkylerhea.co.uk/
SeaGen Wales Project Website – http://www.seagenwales.co.uk/
Seagen sails past 3GWh tidal energy milestone – http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2141715/seagen-sails-past-3gwh-tidal-energy-milestone

Plymouth, UK aiming to build country's first wind, wave and tidal energy park

johnio78 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:47:14 +0000

By William Telford (Plymouth Herald)

PLYMOUTH is at the heart of the country’s first marine energy park, which is bidding to harness wind, waves and tides to bring jobs and investment ….

UK Energy Research Centre Summer School 2012

energyresearchgroup — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:59:08 +0000

The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) have announced revised dates for it’s eighth annual Energy Summer School; from 17th June – 22nd June 2012, at the University of Warwick. There will be 100 places available for UK and international students.

The School has been specifically designed to give second year PhD students an understanding of energy systems as a whole and of pathways to low-carbon and resilient energy systems. This directly relates to international climate change issues and policies as students will become engaged in a mock United Nations style negotiations throughout the week in order to achieve a reduction in carbon emissions through the use of energy systems. This is a week-long course, which runs in parallel to UKERC’s Annual Assembly, and the course is professionally facilitated to provide continual support for participants, and includes a number of networking opportunities as well as social events.

Applications are invited from those engaged in energy-related research including technical, physical, social, economic, environmental and business aspects of energy and energy systems.

Nominations are open until 1700hrs (5pm) GMT Thursday, 8th March 2012. There is no charge for registered research students to attend the School; UKERC will provide accommodation and all meals and materials for activities. The School is conducted in English, and as it is highly interactive a good standard of comprehension and spoken English is essential.

The nomination form can be accessed from the UKERC website

Full information is available from the UK Energy Research Centre website at:
www.ukerc.ac.uk

Launch of the UK South West Marine Energy Park

oregblog — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:48:39 +0000

In a remarkable effort, the UK has made a significant step towards speeding up the commercial expansion of the wave and tidal industry—one that is lauded to contribute £15bn to the UK economy by 2050. The UK “South West Marine Energy Park” launched on January 23^rd represents a collaborative partnership of governments, local enterprise partnerships, academia, and industry around the development site at WaveHub.

The 40 page prospectus highlights a commitment to fully realize the potential of a marine renewable energy industry by focusing on the infrastructure, industrial, and research strengths of the region. It aims to provide access to marine energy resources, prioritize investment in infrastructure, reduce project risk, secure international finance, and promote sector collaboration.

This initiative indicates where the marine renewable energy industry is headed. And, it’s a signal that Canada is not alone in recognizing the value of a collaborative model that focuses on regional strengths to accelerate development. OREG has worked with a similar vision for Canada. The recently released Marine Renewable Energy Technology Roadmap identifies an urgent need for collaboration and promotes incubation around early endeavours, such as FORCE, to ensure we build on our strengths. The Roadmap also calls for new incubation initiatives around hydrokinetic and wave energy.

Proposals under the ecoEnergy Innovation Initiative will contribute towards reaching Roadmap incubation objectives. A proposal led by the University of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro has country-wide engagement in development of a river energy incubator. Similarly, the University of Victoria will build on an earlier wave energy resource characterization by a West Coast Wave Initiative, to begin an assessment of the feasibility of a wave industry incubator on Vancouver Island. Both initiatives reflect the beginnings of the supply chain that can grow an industry.

But it is in Nova Scotia, where we are closest to delivering on the Roadmap. The existence of FORCE and activities underway there have already changed the thinking of how this industry can develop. Going forward, we need to ensure that collaboration continues around FORCE, much like what is being done at the WaveHub through the SW Marine Energy Park initiative.

This can be achieved by starting to think of FORCE as both hardware and software if compared to our modern tech world. As hardware, it is a permitted and (soon to be) wired development site, with capacity for multi technology trials and ability to expand into the first trials of arrays power plants. It is also a focus for strategic and enabling research and for informing policy development, providing “software” for the entire industry that will support future small and large scale tidal projects.

Incubation activities at FORCE are further complemented by the anticipated release of the Government of Nova Scotia’s industrial development strategy. These efforts signal a clear shift in thinking from viewing tidal energy as a potential energy resource to an assumption that practical solutions to development and satisfaction of environmental concerns will be established in the coming decade. It is a shift to believing that this will be an important industry for generations of Atlantic Canadians to come.

So, for tidal at least, the Canadian incubator approach is along the same lines that we are seeing from the UK South West. With the recent joint declaration by Prime Ministers Harper and Cameron including collaboration on marine energy, we can expect that alignment to become a broader topic of discussion! In the meantime, we must congratulate those involved in coming together and creating the UK SW Marine Energy Park prospectus.

Three Tidal Energy News That You Should Be Aware Of

Tom — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:37:05 +0000

It seems that the tidal energy business had a brisk wake up after the first few weeks of the year. Three breaking tidal news came in short time span with US and UK being in the focus.

New York City’s East River may soon become home for a 1MW tidal turbine
The Deep Business Centre of Hull, Yorkshire, UK, should be powered by Neptune Proteus tidal technology within weeks
2000 tide-powered electricity generating turbines off the coast of Alderney in the Channel Islands are being planned

Energy Turbines May Be Spinning in New York’s East River by 2013

The currents of New York City’s East River may soon be harnessed to produce electricity that can be sold to Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED) or the New York Power Authority. The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission yesterday awarded…

Read more from Bloomberg or GreentechMedia

Tidal power set to have Deep impact; HULL: Generator towed into position ahead of link-up

In short, a new tidal machine set to power The Deep has been put in place in the Humber estuary.

Tidal energy could be powering The Deep in a matter of weeks.

The Neptune Proteus machine was towed to its position in the Humber yesterday. The tidal stream device will be secured over three days…

Read more from POWEREngineering and Neptune Renewable Energy

Sustainable Direction advises on Alderney tidal power project

Environmental consultancy firm Sustainable Direction Ltd has announced it is advising on a major scheme to create a network of 2000 tide-powered electricity generating turbines off the coast of Alderney in the Channel Islands…

New Marine Energy Park in UK - Hallmark of £20 Million Budget

Tom — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:16:17 +0000

Mine chimney and remains on the North Cornish coast just north of Chapel Porth cove in Cornwall, UK. In the upcoming years these waves might become important source of clean energy.

In the past seven years, UK Government has invested £100 million in the south-west marine energy industry, that is primarily research and demonstration facilities. Now the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is reiterating its support by designating the new marine energy park – the largest of its kind in the world.

The new establishment includes a partnership in the region between national and local government, Local Enterprise Partnerships, the Universities of Plymouth and Exeter and industry, including Cornwall’s famous Wave Hub (Learn more about Wave Hub here…). This joined forces will aim to speed up the development of ocean energy devices from the current large-scale prototypes to bigger formations in the sea.

The plans include first commercial wave farms of 10 to 30 megawatts (MW) located off the north Cornish coast. After that, as soon as in 6 years, larger wave farms of 100 MW or more could be put in deeper water. If the advancement of the technology continues as projected, we can expect tidal and wave energy generation capacity to exceed 50% of today’s UK needs by 2050.

Moreover, there is other benefits from growing the industry:

“Marine power has huge potential in the UK not just in contributing to a greener electricity supply and cutting emissions, but in supporting thousands of jobs in a sector worth a possible 15 billion pounds to the economy to 2050,” said Greg Barker, UK energy and climate minister.

It seems that UK is far ahead of other countries in terms of developing sea energy industry. What’s more, they are planning to invest more to capitalize on this first-mover advantage – DECC budgeted this year up to 10% of its £200 million bankroll to support the wave and tidal energy development. Thus, we can expect to see a lot of progress not only in the south-west, but also other marine energy hubs (See, for example what has been happening in Scotland and, more specifically, European Marine Energy Centre).

This news has been widely covered, so we list only some of the related articles.

Sources:

South West makes splash as first marine energy park – http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn12_003/pn12_003.aspx
First UK marine energy park to be built in south west – http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/23/us-marine-uk-idUSTRE80M0L020120123
South-west waves hello to first marine energy park – http://www.eaem.co.uk/news/south-west-waves-hello-first-marine-energy-park
Marine power boost for South West – http://goo.gl/N8ZKz

Credit for the picture: Herbythyme

U.S. Department of Energy - Wave and Tidal Energy Can Provide 15% of Electricity by 2030

Tom — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:02:21 +0000

Map of US wave energy resources - National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released two nationwide resource assessments showing that waves and tidal currents off the country’s coasts could contribute significantly to the United States’ total annual electricity production. The United States uses about 4,000 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year. Approximately 1,420 TWh per year, or roughly one-third, of the total annual electricity usage can be satisfied by the generation from waves and tidal currents.

Although this is a longer term project, the DOE expect that even 15% of the US electricity can come from these renewable resources by 2030.

The two reports can be found here:

Of course, the results of the estimates depend a lot on the assumptions. In case of the wave energy resource study, one important assumption was the maximum potential level of energy extraction per one kilometer of coastline. The study uses 10MW, 15MW and 20MW per kilometer as alternative scenarios and takes the middle one as a base case, given the current state of technology. The resulting base case total recoverable wave energy resource along the US outer continental shelf is estimated to be 1,170 TWh/yr. That is slightly more than one-quarter of the total country’s current needs.

The regional breakdown is:

250 TWh/yr for the West Coast
160 TWh/yr for the East Coast
60 TWh/yr for the Gulf of Mexico
620 TWh/yr for Alaska
80 TWh/yr for Hawaii
20 TWh/yr for Puerto Rico.

Unfortunately, great resources in Alaska might not be exploited significantly, due to large distances from major energy consumption areas. In the long-run, one remedy to this issue could be the usage of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission (See an interesting article on HVDC here…).

Coming back to the assumption of 15MW per kilometer of coastline, to cite:

The total recoverable wave energy resource is constrained primarily by the capacity packing density of device arrays, which for today’s technology is assumed to be limited to 15 megawatts per kilometer of coastline.

I would argue that the wave energy developers are aiming far above that figure, thus leaving, potentially, room for a major improvement. To give one example supporting my reasoning, I point to AWS Ocean Energy.

AWS wave energy prototype demonstration video

Their full-scale floating device will comprise an array of 12 cells, each measuring around 16m wide by 8m deep, arranged around a structure with overall beam of up to 60m. Such a device has a capacity of 2.5 MW. It is easy to imagine that more than 6 of such units could fit on one kilometer of coastline. Thus, the recoverable wave energy resource estimates in the report might be rather conservative and as the technology matures we could see better results in terms of wave energy exploitation.

Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States Map

Apart from wealth of in-depth analysis presented in the reports, it is interesting to note that there are two data sources freely available to the public – Where Are the Renewable Energy Resources Located in the US (in Layers: Resources select Wave Power Density) and Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States Map.

Hopefully, both encouraging wave energy and tidal current resource study results, as well as, freely available data & maps on these resources will spur a new wave of technology development and implementation in the US.

Sources:

DOE Reports Show Major Potential for Wave and Tidal Energy Production Near U.S. Coasts – http://www1.eere.energy.gov/water/news_detail.html?news_id=18017
Where Are the Renewable Energy Resources Located in the US – http://maps.nrel.gov/re_atlas
Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States Map – http://www.tidalstreampower.gatech.edu/

Wave and tidal energies have potential to power a third of the US grid

Morgan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:57:56 +0000

That’s the conclusion of a Department of Energy study. Of course, considering how little we’ve seen of wave and tidal energy generation projects, I’m not sure how much of that resource would actually be used in the next twenty/thirty years…

ERI event - careers in renewable energy

energyresearchgroup — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:16:37 +0000

Interested in a career in renewable energy?

The Environmental Research Institute (ERI) of the North Highland College UHI has developed a number of on-line training course to help provide people in Caithness with some of the knowledge needed to kick start a new career in renewable energy.

To showcase the courses, the ERI is hosting an open evening with free buffet and drinks on Monday 23rd January 2012 at the new Centre for Energy and the Environment at the North Highland College campus. The event will run from 4-8pm and will provide a chance for those interested in pursuing a career in renewable energy to drop in and learn more about the courses and modules on offer. Advice on funding will also be available.

Dr Kenny Boyd, Programme Leader said these courses are proving to be popular and we have had much interest not only locally, but from abroad as well. The modules have been developed by recognised experts in the areas of renewable energy and community development. All modules are delivered online with tutor support, making access flexible but also providing excellent support to those studying.

Scottish and Southern Electricity will be in attendance to promote a number of live job vacancies in the North of Scotland and a rolling programme of recruitment over the coming years. SSE is undertaking a major Grid infrastructure enhancement programme which is creating a number of job opportunities.

Those with an interest in the event and seeking further information can contact Jacqueline Black at the ERI by EMAIL or on 01847 889570.

FULL EVENT DETAILS FROM THE ERI WEBSITE

EMEC Is Kicking Off Year 2012

Tom — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:07:33 +0000

European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) is starting the year diligently with high hopes for wave energy and tidal energy developers already present at the facility, as well as for the expected newcomers. The bar is rather high, given what they were able to achieve during the last year.

The centre’s representatives, as well as technology developers participated in EMEC Developers’ Research (and Monitoring) Forum (EMEC-DRF) in Edinburgh. The forum facilitates the dialog between the developer community and the public and privately funded research community (academia, industrial research institutions).
Japanese marine mission visited EMEC and investigated the role marine energy could play in Japan.

Sources:

EMEC 13-Jan-2012 News – http://www.emec.org.uk/view.asp?newsID=299

German Offshore Wind Developers Face Grid-connection Challenges - Warning for Wave Energy Companies?

Tom — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:34:03 +0000

Even 1GW of new offshore wind capacity in Germany might be facing delays and challenges due to bottlenecks in grid-connection. This might be a warning sign for wave energy developers. Though, at the same time the offshore wind industry might clear the way for later sea energy projects or show the route around the obstacles.

In fact, there is a lot for wave and tidal energy companies to learn from the older sister industry – offshore wind. The companies from this business have already identified grid-connection and undersea cable-laying as potential constrains for an accelerated growth.

To learn more on the situation in offshore wind grid-connection go here…

Other posts related to offshore wind are here…

Sources:

German offshore wind developers warn of grid-connection crisis – http://www.rechargenews.com/energy/wind/article297332.ece

Credit for the picture: Andy Dingley

MARINET is providing training and education – http://www.fp7-marinet.eu/training.html

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