Research Needs of Ocean Energy Industry

Economics of Ocean and Marine Renewable Energy Conference

UCC April 2012

Background to Study

• Survey of Third Level, Agency and Industry undertaken in late 2011

• Support from SEAI-OEDU• Follows on from Education Needs study in

2010- common Masters in Ocean Energy under discussion with 6 institutions

• R and D study will be out soon• Will include numbers e.g. on scale of activity

1.Who Undertakes R&D?

The Main Players

Third Level

• Sligo IT: Mooring and anchoring systems; one of only two drum centrifuges in Europe. C€400k capex in total. ‘All graduates will emigrate, great opportunities internationally’

• NUIG: Focus on modelling, structures, ICT. Involved also in marine economics

• Note: The OE teaching and R&D effort can be spread among a number of departments, particularly in the larger institutions. Focus here is on the 'lead' department in each institution

Third Level-2

• UCC: HMRC is central (CMRC and SERG increasingly allied with HMRC; part of IMERC). National test tanks, R&D in many areas of OE, new (€16m)'Beaufort Laboratory' pending. €2.5m capinv in past 2 years.

• NUIM: Control systems, hydro dynamic fluid modelling, wave forecasting etc. About €200k capinv

Third Level-3

• UCD: Focused in two teams in Earth Sciences and Mathematics

• UL: Specialists in UAV's, 'smart ocean', ocean engineering

Agencies

• IDA and EI: Development of industrial base. IDA actively seeking FDI in marine renewables; EI significant financial support to OE companies.

• OEDU: Critical source of funding and policy support for company R&D.

• SFI: Two applications from Marine Energy under Strategic Research Cluster call.

Agencies- 2

• Forfas: Sets the policy. Research Priorities exercise completed and Marine Energy is among chosen areas

• Marine Institute: Provides infrastructure and services e.g. data collection, research funding and support for OEDU

Industry

• Three key players: Open Hydro; Ocean Energy and Wavebob...... with Aquamarine Power active with UCD

• A number of others involved in different ways: Seapower is probably most important of the emerging companies; ESBI leading WestWave; Bord Gais behind various initiatives; etc

2. Views on Agencies, Third Level Colleges and Facilities

Third Level

• Positive views on agencies generally– ‘EI FP7 office very good’– Although ‘EI projects must be very close to

market’– ‘ SFI very good, strategic thinkers’– ‘IRCSET PhDs programme inflexible’– ‘SEAI very helpful but claims procedures slow’– ‘We envy no-one, nobody has the system of

supports that we have’

Third Level-2

– ‘SFI too focused on basic research, marine renewables is about applied engineering and science’

– ‘..requirement to handover/share IP with industry is hindering industrial policy’

• Believe that Irish OE research has good reputation internationally

• And that research capability in Ireland is complementary

Agencies

• Development agencies clear on several issues:– ‘Need an offshore wind test site on the Irish Sea’– ‘Third Level retention of IP is a barrier’– ‘ Research lacks focus’– ‘Real issues for the sector are at policy level e.g. REFIT’– ‘Need co-ordinating mechanism to avoid duplication in

R&D’• Support for infrastructure development e.g. AMETS, IMERC

and ‘Smart Ocean’

Industry

• Generally positive re Agencies, Third Level• ‘Research too fragmented’• Supportive of infrastructure development-

Smart Bay, IMERC and AMETS• ‘Scottish support for this industry is tops

across all areas of activity’• ‘EI schemes should allow use of consultants

with deep practical experience’

Industry-2

• ‘OEDU schemes under-resourced, claims process challenging’

• ‘Need coordination of research’• ‘Lots of scope for intellectually-intensive companies

to emerge on back of R&D; MCS is good exemplar’• ‘Level of awareness of Third Level research is low’• ‘DCENR needs to have and communicate a clear

vision for marine renewables generally’• ‘Research capability is world leading’

3. Boundaries and Future Agenda

Common Threads

• Practical and applied approach• Fundamental science and engineering issues

being cracked?• (Perhaps surprisingly) lot of interest in more

work on moorings, data collection and economics

• Supply chain development • Facilities

Third Level

• Marine Science– ‘need to understand the resource more’– ‘ too much turns on modelling’– ‘resource not properly quantified’– ‘Data collection is an issue’– ‘Ecological impact of large arrays’

• Engineering– ‘engineering cost out to improve IRR’– ‘Bio fouling, corrosion’

Third Level-2

– ‘Viability of different devices’– ‘Robustness of devices- cannot access devices in

Orkneys for 6 months of the year due weather’– ‘Doubts about devices where electricity developed

offshore’– ‘Sediment properties to allow cable burial-

research?’– ‘Engineering of multi device farms with substantial

underwater components, etc’

Third Level- 3

– ‘everything to do with getting power ashore’– ‘Smart devices’– ‘Electrical system design to allow integration of large arrays’– ‘Priority to research into robotics and smart ocean engineering infrastructure’

• Seabed– ‘Don’t know enough about impact on seabed and from mud line down of

devices’– ‘ Moorings are an issue as are umbilical's’

• Other Concerns– Supply chain e.g. planning for 100MW array, shipping and logistics– Floating wind platforms– Lack of interest in environmental issues– Potential bio-diversity ‘hotspots’ around arrays

Agencies

• Resource– ‘ More detail on resource needed’– ‘Too much modelling- need data’

• Moorings• ICT, material sciences• ‘No further fundamental research needed’• ‘Challenges still in grid modelling, material

science, grid integration, control systems’

Agencies-2

• ‘Resource modelling, moorings, structural design, environmental modelling, economics’

• ‘Soft’ issues– Economics– Environmental studies

• Infrastructure- finish Belmullet, build test site (particularly for offshore wind) off east coast, IMERC

• ‘Need long term funding –a la the UK-to support development of the sector’

• ‘Smart Ocean, resource optimisation, power conversion’• ‘ Develop Competence Centres?’

Industry

• Resource assessment, data standards• Developing supply chain• Economics/economic modelling/ market

arrangements• Deployment Methods• Manufacturability of devices• Grid/ICT/O&M• Mooring systems and issues• Finish Belmullet, IMERC, demonstration devices

Industry-2

• ‘Change State funding so can go to best centres even if abroad’• ‘Need one service provider for structural analysis, physical

modelling, tank testing, numerical modelling and hydrodynamics’

• ‘Structural expertise is in consultants, not universities’• ‘New IMERC tank facilities badly needed’• ‘Not enough thinking and research re full-scale devices’• ‘EI to sponsor technical mentoring service?’• ‘ Modest scale tidal test site on East coast’• ‘ Galway site v cost effective but where do they want to go with

it?’

The Resultant Agenda

• Research Priority 1– Develop and grow the DATABASE: more effort to

gather data (and to develop robust standards for data) and reduce dependence on modelling. Concern over robustness of modelling.

• Research Priority 2– ECONOMICS: increase effort to develop

understanding of the economics of the industry at both a micro and a macro level, including how to develop a supply chain.

The Resultant Agenda- cont’d

• Research Priority 3– Series of tailored projects to deal with practical

ENGINEERING PROBLEMS: cost reduction and manufacturability of devices, O&M, grid integration, power conversion, ICT, noise, moorings issues. How to do this effectively, select projects?

Resultant Agenda-2

• Research Priority 4– INFRASTRUCTURE: get AMETS off the ground and

build the Beaufort Laboratory (‘test tanks’), get demonstration devices in the water

• Research Priority 5– ENVIRONMENT: need research into ecological

impact of arrays, closer ties to environmental researchers

Other Points

• Extensive effort in Ocean Energy R&D• Sub-scale at any point but complementary

(generally)• Needs ‘tying’ together e.g. SFI SRC?• Division of effort between Third Level,

Agencies and Industry probably normal for this stage of technology

• Further reflection, final report shortly

Follow up

• Contact

Peter D Coyle chairman@mria.ie

• Website for MRIA and all reports, etc

www.mria.ie