Ireland – Ray Alcorn

EERA Presentation, Edinburgh 2014
Dr Raymond Alcorn on behalf of
Prof Conchúr Ó Brádaigh
Director, Marine Renewable Energy Ireland (MaREI)
“Harnessing the Marine Renewable Energy
Resource through the power of innovation”
Presentation
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Marine Renewable Energy
Irish & EU Policy Contexts
MaREI Research Centre
Test Infrastructure
Summary
No 20% GDP
Dk 11% GDP
Be 8% GDP
UK 5% GDP
Ire 1.2% GDP
Wave Energy Resource
Accessible Resource – Up to 20 TWh/yr
Ireland Electricity Usage (2010) – 34 TWh/yr
Ireland Wave Energy
“Ireland is Uniquely Placed With One of the World’s
Highest Wave Energy Resources”
Tidal Energy Resource
Feasible Resource – Up to 2.4 TWh/yr
(MI/SEAI Study)
Ireland Electricity Usage (2010) – 34 TWh/yr
Ireland Tidal Stream Energy
“Favourable Tidal Current Resource, Concentrated
Off Eastern Coastline”
Offshore Wind Energy Resource
Feasible Resource – Up to 65 TWh/yr
Represents 190% Irish Electricity
Consumption (2010)
Ireland Offshore Wind Energy
“Ireland has an excellent offshore wind resource that
compares favourably with the best in the world both in
terms of consistency and strength”
Barriers to MRE Sector
Technology
Investment
Consenting
Grid Infrastructure
Environmental Impact
Marine Renewable Energy
 The Prize For Ireland
Presentation
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Marine Renewable Energy
Irish & EU Policy Contexts
MaREI Research Centre
Test Infrastructure
Summary
Unique Policy and Stakeholder Alignment
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EU – Blue Growth Strategy – H2020 – SET Plan
Taoiseach and Cross Government support
Inter Departmental Co-ordination
Inter agency co-operation
Research collaboration
Strategy
Presentation
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Marine Renewable Energy
Irish & EU Policy Contexts
MaREI Research Centre
Test Infrastructure
Summary
Total Budget:
€29M / 6 Years
45 Industrial partners
Our Vision:
“To secure Ireland’s position as a global leader in
Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) by focussing on
technological breakthroughs delivered through
cutting edge science and engineering research”
University Partners
“A cluster of key university and industrial partners”
“Over 30 SMEs, working collaboratively with each
other, and with multi-national corporations”
Industrial Partners
UNIVERSITY OF
LIMERICK
MaREI Research Programme:
Research Programme comprises:
Platform Projects = Scientific Research
Spoke Projects = Industry Targeted
Platform Projects
P1 – Wave Energy Device Design Innovation and
Optimisation
P2 – Marine Electro-gas
P3 – Marine Renewable Energy Informatics Tools
P4 – Cost Reduction for Marine Renewable Energy
Spoke Projects
S1 – Marine Renewable Energy Devices
S2 – Novel Materials for MRE Systems
S3 – Power Take-off and Energy Storage for MRE
S4 – Operations Support Engineering
S5 – MRE Decision Support and Data Management
MaREI Value Chain
Early Stage
Development
Device
Characterisation
Feasibility
Assessment
Resource
Assessment
Planning
Design
Production &
Supply Chain
Offshore Design
Floating/Offshore
Structure
Onshore Facility
Engineering
Performance
Evaluation
Energy Coupling
System
Transportation
Recovery &
Repair
Spatial Planning
Mechanical
Design
Prototype
Testing
Energy
Conversion
Technology
Environmental
Licensing
Hydrodynamic
Design
Electrical System
Design
Performance
Energy
Storage/Usage
Life-Cycle
Costing
Civil (Onshore
Design)
Control System
Design
Power-Purchase
Agreement
Novel Design
Power
Generation &
Transmission
Equipment
Installation
Installation
Offshore
Installation
Env. Monitoring
Control Systems
Energy Storage
Operation
Reliability
Management
Structural
Monitoring
Environmental
Monitoring
Onshore
Facilities
Condition
Monitoring
Component
Testing &
Verification
Inspection &
Maintenance
MaREI Value Chain – Job Creation
MaREI Programme Will Add Value
Across the General Maritime Industry
 Transferable Skills & Outputs
“A critical mass of expertise will be brought
to bear on job creation in key areas” inc.:
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Marine Renewable Energy
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Maritime Planning & Operations
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Construction & Maintenance
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Shipping & Transport
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Ecosystem Governance
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Fisheries & Aquaculture
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Bio-Discovery & Technology
Aligned With EU Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP)
and Our Ocean Wealth
 Integrated Development of Maritime
Activities to Support Optimal Deployment
MaREI Value Chain – Current Focus
Marine Robotics Research Centre
(MMRC)
Ongoing MaREI Engagement With
Industry to Identify:
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Long Endurance ROV’s
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Marine Service Robots
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Short-Term Needs That Can be Addressed by
MaREI Research Programme
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Inspection/Repair/
Maintenance
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Appropriate Short-Term Solutions and
Outputs That Can be Delivered
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Sensor Platforms/Test Tanks
Data Analytics (De Puy Ireland Ltd.)
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RE/MRE System Integration
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Operational Analytics
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Decision Support System
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Demand Side Management
Aquaculture (Marine Harvest Ireland)
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Optimal Use of MRE For Aquaculture
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Technology/Infrastructure Access
(MARINET)
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Supporting Services (Governance etc.)
Biogas Production Process
Electrolysis
2H2O → 2H2 + O2
Methanation (Catalytic or Biological)
4H2 + CO2 → CH4 + 2O2
Cost of Carbon Capture Inversely Proportional
to Composition of CO2 in Gas
Optimal Source: Biogas From Anaerobic
Digestion
Biofuels & Energy Storage
 Integration of Variable, Intermittent Renewable
Electricity With Biogas Production
 Promotion of Sustainable Transport
Initiatives:
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MaREI/De Puy Electric Vehicles
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Car-Pooling
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Car-Sharing
 Development of Real-Time Booking System
Investigating Possible Collaboration with
INSIGHT
Beaufort Building Transport Plan:
 Development of Sustainable, Efficient Strategy For Transport of
Staff to/from Beaufort Building (Opening 2015)
 Co-Implementation With De Puy Ireland Ltd.
 12 Students in Class of 2013/2014
 Darren Hayes – UCC Entrepreneur of the Year
 Industry Placement Hosts Include:
 Bosch Rexroth AG
 Benson Engineering
 Technology From Ideas
 DIT
 HMRC
 DP Marine Energy
 NMCI
 ESBI Westwave
M.Eng.Sc Marine Renewable Energy
 12-Month Full-Time Taught Masters in Engineering Science
 September – April: Taught Courses in Engineering, Innovation & Finance
 June – September: Industry Placement/Research Lab. Hosted Project
Presentation
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Marine Renewable Energy
Irish & EU Policy Contexts
MaREI Research Centre
Test Infrastructure
Summary
Test Infrastructure
AMETS Mayo Wave
Test Site
Full-scale gridconnected
Strangford
QUB Tidal Test
facility
Galway Bay site
¼ scale grid connected
Cork - Beaufort
National Ocean Test Facility
Beaufort Building
Survival Wave Flume
Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site
(AMETS) - Belmullet
Test Site A
• Test Site A: 100m water
depth;16km out from Belderra
Strand; 6.9 km2
• Test Area B: 50m water depth;
6km from the strand; 1.5 km2
• Test site C: 25m depth
Test Site B
Test Site C
Ireland’s Ocean Energy Portal
http://www.oceanenergyireland.com/
Summary
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Ireland’s ocean energy potential is
many times our current usage of
electricity – secure and clean energy
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Government and EU Policy is to
develop electricity generation from
our oceans in next 5 years +
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Substantial device test infrastructure
in place
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MaREI is largest marine renewable
energy research centre in the world
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Tidal and wave energy projects in Irish
coastal waters in next 3-5 years
QUESTIONS?