Abstracts of draft international standards for marine renewable energy sector
Please contact Andrew Want of
EMEC to be put in touch with the leaders of the industry groups who are progressing
each draft.
Wave Performance Testing
This will specify the requirements for measuring performance of wave energy
conversion systems. This will be based on the existing wave
testing draft standard which has itself been based on the Wind Performance
Measurement Standard ISO 61400 – Part 12-1:2006 “Wind turbines.
Power performance measurements of electricity producing wind turbines”.
Main areas for update are the chapters on Wave Power Calculation and Uncertainty
Calculations and the relevant Appendices which will be re-written.
Tidal Performance Testing
This will be similar in scope and format to the wave performance standard
and based on the same structure but will contain measurement considerations
and guidance unique to tidal energy conversion systems. This draft standard
will be informed by the DTI-commissioned “Tidal Current Energy: Device
Performance Protocol” by the University of Edinburgh for measurements
associated with Tidal device testing that was issued for guidance in conjunction
with applications for the Marine Renewable Deployment Fund.
Wave Resource Assessment
There is a need for technology developers to be able to validate the performance
of their devices against the design intent. For example, this may include
a standard means of defining directionality of power in the wave resource
to compare with the power take-off predicted by the device designer. Utilising
bathymetric and meteorological data, methodologies for analysing the wave
energy profile may be derived. The guide will also refer to instrumentation
selection principles and the impact of accuracy and consistency in resource
assessment on project evaluation will be considered.
Grid Interface
Engineering and safety aspects of the electrical interface with the grid
at marine energy sub-stations will be defined. Establishing the responsibilities
at the interface and the procedures for assessing compliance with power quality
requirements is necessary. Specific issues associated with isolated and local
grids will also be addressed.
Tidal Resource Assessment
A standard approach is required to quantifying resource so that performance
in different sea areas may be properly predicted using a common basis for
resource measurement. As with the Wave Resource Assessment, this will give
guidance on the use of bathymetric and meteorological data, and flow modelling.
Reliable resource assessment is an important factor in enabling investors
to make realistic comparisons of technologies, locations and configurations
of arrays of devices.
Manufacture and Factory Testing
This is a technical specification providing guidelines for manufacturing
methods, the requirements for factory-based testing of marine energy devices
and sub-assemblies and as a possible part of a design verification of the
device.
Key factors will include:
- Interfacing Engineering and manufacture
- Good manufacturing practice
- Safety
- Mechanical performance testing of sub-assemblies.
- Quality issues and component level testing
- Evaluation of manufacturing process
- Testing the sealing of components against the marine environment
- Evaluation of materials
Independent Verification and Validation of Ocean Energy
The development of a process would enable a technology developer to identify
the requirements to achieve conformance of a device to the relevant standards
and assist the developer with a set of criteria to enable selection of a
certification authority to achieve type certification of the device. The
verification and validation guide would be a reference to enable audit of
conformance against device design, and engineering standards together with
testing standards.