The objective of this Task was to develop recommended practices for testing and evaluating ocean energy systems (wave and marine currents). There are a number of different resource types within ocean energy systems (including waves, tidal range, tidal and ocean currents, salinity gradients, OTEC and hydrothermal vents) and several different approaches to extracting energy from each resource type.
The present lack of technology convergence creates difficulty in comparing systems. This Task attempted to address this issue by providing guidelines, with the intent of laying the groundwork for the future establishment of standards and protocols, for theoretical, model and prototype testing, preliminary cost assessments and the presentation of results.
Contents of the work program:
Task 1.1 Generic and site related Wave Data – compilation of four generic Scatter diagrams that reflect typical wave conditions at different member states’ coast lines ranging from 10 kW/m to 50 kW/m
Task 1.2 Generic and site related Marine Current Data – compilation of four generic diagrams that reflects typical tidal flow conditions at different member states’ coast lines ranging from 0,5 kW/m2 to 2 kW/m2.
Task 2.1 Development Protocol – development of a protocol in a common language explaining the steps needed in the development of Ocean Energy Systems, for developers and supporting bodies.
Task 3.1 Monitoring and data acquisition – compilation of guidelines regarding monitoring and data acquisition of different types of ocean energy systems based on best practice and experience from the Ocean Energy community.
Task 3.2 Data preparation and presentation of results – compilation of guidelines regarding preparation and presentation of data that will be compiled based on best practice and experience from the Ocean Energy community.
Task 3.3 Guidelines on Design, Safety and Installation procedures – compilation of guidelines regarding the design of the ocean energy system based on best practice and experience from the Ocean Energy community.
This project was concluded in 2011 with the publication of the following guidelines:
Generic and Site-Specific Wave Data (2010)
K. Nielsen and T. Pontes
Guidelines for the Development & Testing of Wave Energy Systems (2010)
B. Holmes
Guidelines for the design Basis of Marine Energy Converters (2009)
P. Davies
Guidance for Assessing Tidal Current Energy Resources (2008)
A. Cornett
Tidal Energy Development Protocol (2008)
S. Bahaj, L. Blunden and A. A. Anwar
Preliminary Wave Energy Device Performance Protocol (2007)
G. Smith and J. Taylor
Preliminary Tidal-current Energy Device Performance Protocol (2007)
S. J. Couch and H. Jeffrey
