Events calendar
January – April 2018
Marine Moorings Masterclass
Seminar | Workshop | Networking
Sharing knowledge on offshore moorings challenges and solutions
The challenge
Mooring systems are critical for the success of all offshore floating renewable energy devices, which are constantly pushed to their extreme limits in high energy environments. Over the last few years, there has been significant research focused on ropes resulting in the production of lighter and stronger products. As a consequence, the weaknesses in the systems now occur in the rope in-line and end connectors with critical areas causing chaffing of the rope, resulting in premature failure.
The potential
Moorings offer a number of advantages of marine energy deployments:
- Simpler and quicker deployments
- Enables deeper water deployments
- Reduce LCOE as smaller vessels can be used
STORM project
Funded by Innovate UK, the STORM (Specialised Thimbles for Offshore Renewable Marine energy) project is aiming to design a new multi-material hybrid connector which will be:
- Lighter
- Easier to assemble
- Enhance the lifespan of mooring systems
The innovation uses the next generation of nylon/AI composite materials which, when combined, exhibit higher strength, high corrosion resistance, low coefficient of friction, and are lightweight. For offshore renewable energy devices, this will result in increased deployability, increased reliability, and longer in-service times. This will yield an increase in energy output and improvement in safety, whilst reducing failures and offshore maintenance operations which will ultimately help reduce the LCOE for the industry.
Marine Moorings Masterclass
Within the scope of the STORM project, an end-of-project dissemination event is required to share the progress made within the STORM project. However, rather than simply focus on what we have done, we want to bring together moorings experts, offshore energy developers and supply chain companies to share common challenges and learning around marine mooring applications and experiences, and discuss the progress in developing, testing and operating solutions for this vital marine energy subsystem. As ocean energy is a new developing pre-commercial industry, with limited hours in the water relative to other more mature industries, the workshop aims to share knowledge from other industries (particularly oil & gas and offshore wind) to see where the ocean energy sector can gain for previous lessons learned to streamline the development of the sector, reducing the burden on developers to tackle these issues in isolation. By working together, and reducing duplication of effort on developing moorings solutions, marine energy developers can focus on the most vital aspect of marine energy technology development aiding there move towards commercialisation.
Masterclass objective
The workshop aims to bring together representatives from offshore wind, wave and tidal energy to share learning and facilitate knowledge sharing on offshore moorings, focusing on the challenges, needs and solutions of the sector. The workshop will look to identify industry needs and corresponding R&D projects around moorings, encouraging new project partnerships to form.
Register now
This event is free to attend, and lunch will be provided. However registration is essential.
To register for this event, please email lisa.mackenzie@emec.org.uk by Friday 12th January 2018.
Masterclass programme
The programme as at 23/1/18 is presented below. Check back for updates. If you would like to provide a presentation within the programme, please contact Lisa MacKenzie: lisa.mackenzie@emec.org.uk | +44(0)1856 852207
| 0930 | Arrival & registration | |
| Coffee & networking | ||
| 0950 | Welcome & overview | |
| Introduce ‘Marine Moorings Matrix’ | Nigel Briggs | TTI STORM Project Manager |
|
| 1000 | STORM connector and project outcomes | |
| Connector design | Nigel Briggs | TTI | |
| Connector reinforcement & casting process | Brian McKay | Brunel University | |
| Material integration and testing | Damien McCormack | Nylacast | |
| Demonstration of new mooring connector | Nigel Briggs | TTI | |
| 1030 | Lessons learned: Challenges and progress in ocean energy moorings | |
| Speed updates: Marine energy developers & supply chain | ||
| LAMWEC mooring design & strop testing | Steven Nauwelaerts | Laminaria | |
| Rotary Wave marine moorings experience | Andrea Novás Cortés | Rotary Wave | |
| Raptor rock anchoring for marine moorings | Nick Cresswell | SME | |
| Marine installations in the wave and tidal energy sector | Myles Metson | Green Marine | |
| WES Landscaping Study: Moorings and foundations | Ben Yeats & Tom MacKay | TTI Marine Renewables | |
| Q&A | ||
| 1200 | Networking lunch | |
| Update Marine Moorings Matrix | ||
| 1245 | Brunel University tour | |
| Visit of AMCC & ETC facilities | ||
| 1345 | Lessons learned from other sectors | |
| Speed updates | ||
| Top end tensioner | Stephen Banfield | TTI | |
| Moorings reliability testing | Andy Shanks | EMEC | |
| Aquaculture moorings experience | Lawrie Stove | Aquamoor | |
| Offshore wind moorings lessons learned | Peter Foxton | Vryhof | |
| Q&A | ||
| 1450 | Break | |
| Tea & coffee | ||
| 1500 | Funding opportunities | |
| Potential funding opportunities | Rachel Burch | Brunel University | |
| 1515 | Break-out groups | |
Discussions points:
|
||
| 1615 | Marine Moorings Matrix | |
| Feedback from break-out groups | ||
Discussion points:
|
Lead: Elaine Buck | EMEC | |
| Conclusions and actions | ||
| 1700 | Workshop close |
EMEC will be attending the project OCEANERA-NET’s Final Conference: Developing the Sector in Edinburgh on 30th and 31st January 2018.
The project invites the ocean energy community to attend its two day Final Conference and have the opportunity to:
- discuss future sector policy
- showcase your technology
- network with like-minded organisations
- celebrate the successes of the project and the companies that have benefited from involvement and funding
- hear about new funding opportunities across Europe
- benefit from workshops on Internationalisation &Intellectual Property and Investment Readiness
- engage with the OCEANERA-NET COFUND project
- contribute to interactive discussions round the key barriers and opportunities within the sector
This event represents the final activity of the project and will also provide an update on results, including presentations from projects funded under the 2014 and 2017 Joint Calls and a range of activities and tools which have been developed to support future cooperation in support for ocean energy.
This event is free of charge to attend. To register and for more information visit: OCEANERA-NET Final Conference
EMEC is exhibiting at Renewable UK’s Wave & Tidal Conference on 28th February 2018. The event will be held at the SEC, Glasgow, Scotland.
ATTENDING RUK WAVE & TIDAL
- Neil Kermode, Managing Director
- Jonathan Lindsay, Operations Director
- Jon Clipsham, Hydrogen Development Manager
- Erica Mathers, Marketing Officer
If you would like to organise a meeting, please email info@emec.org.uk or call +44(0)1856 852060
EXHIBITION
EMEC will be exhibiting as part of the Team Scotland stand.
NOT TO BE MISSED
Session A4: The Place of Commercial Marine Energy in a Smart, Flexible System
The energy system is changing fundamentally – with increasingly flexible networks, a changing role for large utilities and generators building their investment case on stacking flexibility services. Join us to discuss where this new world is heading and what it could mean for the future of commercial tidal and wave energy.
Jon Clipsham: ‘Integrating Hydrogen Electrolysers with Tidal Energy Systems’
Orkney has an abundance of renewably produced electricity however the current grid is already constrained, restricting the progress of new wind, tidal and wave energy projects. Therefore, innovative projects are being developed to use Orkney’s energy in different ways. EMEC has invested in an electrolyser to convert tidal and wind power to hydrogen which can subsequently be used directly as a fuel or chemical feedstock, or in combination with a fuel cell to generate electricity. The integration of renewable energy with the manufacture of an explosive, and potentially dangerous chemical has meant a culture shift within the organisation, which has had to embrace new technologies and methodologies from a different sector. EMEC is the first organisation to produce hydrogen from tidal energy.
The full programme is available to view here: Renewable UK Wave & Tidal 2018 Programme
The 49th Oceanology International 2018 Conference Exhibition will be held in London, Excel on 13-15 March 2018. Oceanology International has firmly established itself as the world leading ocean technology marine science exhibition and conference, bringing together the latest technologies and thought leaders worldwide.
Attracting visitors from a variety of industries, including oil & gas, marine renewables and maritime defence, Oceanology International gives the opportunity for buyers and suppliers to do business in one location. Oceanology International offers structured networking opportunities to help suppliers establish relationships and secure business on a global scale.
ATTENDING OI2018:
- David Darbinyan, Performance Test Engineer
- Myles Heward, Performance Test Engineer
If you would like to organise a meeting, please email info@emec.org.uk or call +44(0)1856 852060.
For more information on Oceanology International 2018 and to register: Click here
Neil Kermode, Managing Director, will be attending the Edinburgh Sustainable Innovation Conference organised by the Buchanan Institute on 23 March 2018 at the McEwan Hall, Edinbrugh.
If you would like to organise a meeting, please email info@emec.org.uk or call +44(0)1856 852060.
About ESIC
Join us for a full day of engaging talks, interactive panels and solution-based workshops. It will be a unique opportunity to be part of a multi-sectorial discussion on “how to achieve a carbon-free Scotland” and will particularly focus on the decarbonisation of the transport and energy sectors. The student-run conference is organised by the Buchanan Institute, a student-led think tank from the University of Edinburgh, in the perspective of truly creating a dialogue between experts, professionals and students.
For more information, the conference programme and to book your place, click here: ESIC | Achieving a carbon-free Scotland
EMEC’s Hydrogen Business Development Manager, Jon Clipsham, is attending the 10th Conference in New York’s State’s Advanced Energy Series from the 26 – 28th March 2018.
If you would like to organise a meeting with Jon, please email info@emec.org.uk or call +44(0)1856 852060.
At AEC 2018 you’ll have the opportunity to meet and network with influential leaders, key researchers, and policy makers from every part of the energy sector. This is the energy industry’s most inclusive event of the year, spanning an exceptionally broad range of sessions and topics.
Scottish Renewables’ Annual Conference 2018 will be held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh, taking place over two days on 26 & 27 March 2018.
For the conference, visit: SR Conference Programme 2018
Environmental Interactions of Marine Renewable Energy Technologies (EIMR) is an international conference hosted at different sites across the Scottish Highlands and Islands region, led by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) and Heriot Watt University (HW). The conference will explore the interactions of wave and tidal energy technologies with the environment.
EIMR 2018 will be held at the Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, Orkney from 24-27th April 2018.
About EIMR:
The International Conference on the Environmental Interactions of Marine Energy Technologies (EIMR) aims to serve as a major forum for global researchers and professionals to come together to present their latest research, results, and ideas and strengthen relations between the emerging marine renewables industry, research laboratories, and universities.
Previous conferences in Kirkwall, Orkney (2012) and Stornoway, Lewis (2014) – hosted by Heriot-Watt University and the University of the Highlands and Islands – explored the interactions of wave and tidal energy technologies with the environment. Since then, wave and tidal testing and commercial deployments have progressed in Scotland and worldwide.
The industry, regulators and academic researchers now have real world experience that has generated valuable lessons about effective methods and the relative significance of different interactions.
Speaking at EIMR:
- Caitlin Long, Consents and Project Officer, will be presenting on ‘Understanding wildlife displacement using data from real-sea testing of wave and tidal devices’ and ‘Developing a streamlined consenting process at a tidal test site’
- Florence Ungaro, Project Manager, will be presenting on ‘Critical review of anti-fouling strategies used on marine renewable energy converters deployed in real sea conditions’
The 50th Offshore Technology Conference will be held from the 30th April – 3rd May 2018, at the NRG Park, Houston, Texas.
The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters.
Attending OTC:
- Elaine Buck, Technical Manager
- David Darnbinyan, Performance Test Engineer
If you would like to organise a meeting, please contact info@emec.org.uk or call +44(0)1856 852060.
Speaking:
- David Darbinyan - ’Downscaling Global Wave Ensemble Forecasts with Machine Learning Techniques in application to Billia Croo test site’
More details on EMEC’s attendance to follow.
To view the OTC 2018 programme, visit: OTC Technical Programme.
Oliver Wragg, EMEC Commercial Director and Elaine Buck, EMEC Technical Director, will be attending the Waterpower Week in Washington D.C from 30 April -2 May 2018
If you would like to organise a meeting, please email info@emec.org.uk or call +44(0)1856 852060.
Speaking at Waterpower Week
Session 4 | Tuesday Morning Plenary Session: Global Frontiers of Waterpower
Tuesday 1 May
9:00am – 10:30am
As the regulator for the hydropower industry, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has a front-row seat on policy development to promote new U.S. hydropower and pumped-storage deployment and the relicensing of existing projects. FERC Chairman Kevin McIntyre provides an update on Commission activities in the hydropower sector and his perspective on the future.
Then, a panel of international project developers and experts shares how waterpower technologies are moving forward in Europe and beyond, and describes the policies that are driving their success. The discussion includes commerical-scale marine energy projects as well as conventional hydropower and pumped storage providing new gigawatts to the electricity grid.
Speakers:
- Oliver Wragg, Commercial Director, EMEC
- Kevin McIntyre, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- Remi Gruet, CEO, Ocean Energy Europe
- Pierre Marx, Executive Leader – North America, Hydro, GE Renewables
- Bill Girling, Senior Analyst, International Hydropower Association
Session 7D: MHK: Competitive Advantages in Non-Grid Markets
Tuesday 1 May
2:15pm – 3:30pm
The traditional business approach of selling electricity to a utility via a standard power purchase agreement (PPA) is not the only revenue generation model for the marine energy sector.
Additional markets with promising potential include providing electricity for desalination, remote instrumentation, and sub-sea data centers.
Which of these and other alternative and emerging markets are being pursued that could provide better economics, quicker penetration, and a more compelling “value” to the end user?
Session Leader:
- Bill McShane, Technology Manager, Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology, Water Power Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy
Speakers:
- Oliver Wragg, Commercial Director, EMEC
- James Bellingham, Director, Center for Marine Robotics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Neil Sims, CEO, Kampachi Farms, LLC
- Joseph Sinfield, Associate Professor, Lyles School of Civil Engineering, and Director, College of Engineering Innovation and Leadership Studies Program, Purdue University
Session 9D: Learning from Success: Experiences from Offshore Power Project Developers
Wednesday 2 May
8:15am – 9:30am
Session Leader:
- Jason R. Busch, Executive Director, Pacific Ocean Energy Trust (POET)
Speakers:
- Elaine Buck, Technical Manager, European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC)
- Elisa Obermann, Executive Director, Marine Renewables Canada
- Patrick S. Cross PhD, Program Manager – Ocean Energy, Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa
About Waterpower Week
Waterpower week in Washington provides three great conferences into one! IMREC, METS and NHA’s Annual Conference have teamed up to give you a 3-day jam packed event to network and discuss about policy change and government affairs. Keep up with all the news in the hydro and marine industry in this all-in-one event. The event highlights perspectives on the role of hydro, explores issues affecting hydro and marine resources, and helps participants develop a future game plan to meet challenges and ensure the future sustainability of the hydro and marine industry. Take part in conference sessions tailored to legislation, procedures and topics to see in the year 2017 when it comes to innovation in marine and hydro. Earn professional development hours to improve your position within your company or to put on your resume for developing your own career. Enjoy high quality plenary sessions that have the top hydro influencers speaking about hot topics in the industry. With over 30 sessions and over 300 speakers jam packed into 3 days, you don’t want to miss this! Enjoy co-located events that are designed to help with niche markets and to ensure that your company exceeds beyond the traditional aspect of hydro. Mingle and discuss with the DOE and other government officials to make sure that your voice is heard on laws regarding the hydro and marine industry. Waterpower Week also showcases table top displayers, to help better fit your product and service needs. See some of the newest products on the market in the both hydro and the wave energy industry, or be a participant yourself and get your ideas and innovations out there in front of the decision makers that matter.
