New work on global standards

The world’s first full-scale marine energy test centre has put forward the first set of global standards for judging the performance of wave and tidal-powered devices.

The draft standards have been developed under the leadership of the Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre, to achieve common worldwide yardsticks in the pioneering field of sea power.

Now the global electrical standards ‘watchdog’ body will next month scrutinise EMEC’s proposed global measures for device performance, wave and tidal site resource assessment in considering a certification scheme for devices.

They are part of a wider suite of marine energy standards developed by EMEC in six-years of pioneering marine power development. These propose measures for the performance, reliability and survivability of devices, as well as for assessing wave and tidal site resources, and for key aspects including design and manufacture, environmental appraisal, and health and safety practice.

The move marks another renewables innovation for Scotland’s Highlands and Islands, where the world’s first deep-water offshore wind demonstration project is operating and which last month became the location of the world’s first commercial wave and tidal leasing round, for ten major marine energy developments from Caithness to Orkney.

Already more than 4,000 copies of the draft standard documents have been distributed worldwide to users from industry, academia, other test centres and national governments. With the standards regularly in practical use, EMEC is also collating essential feedback to keep the documents current as the industry rapidly develops. Over 150 industry people were involved in preparing the standards which were each drafted by relevant experts, with professional commentary and editing by the British Standards Institution.

The International Electrotechnical Commission, which sets global standards to improve industrial efficiency, safety, environmental protection and world trade, will review the EMEC proposals through a meeting of its marine energy technical committee on 13-14 May. The agenda includes reports from the sub-committees working on wave and tidal performance testing as well as wave and tidal resources assessment, and the use of a certification scheme based on the EMEC guide is under discussion.

EMEC, which began testing and accreditation of grid-connected marine energy prototypes on-site in Orkney in 2004, has developed the overall suite of 12 draft standards and guides through industry cross-section groups of technical, regulatory, academic, utility and renewable project development experts.

Standards project director John Griffiths said: “It is vitally important that the marine energy industry develops standards that provide international credibility and these documents are an important step forward.

“A standard is simply an agreed, repeatable method and EMEC wants to help grow the industry by sharing experience. Agreed assessment standards and guidelines are essential for consistent and accurate industry approaches and will improve the reliability and effectiveness of what we do.”

The draft marine energy device standards range from setting out water depth, current and wave behaviour criteria, to meteorological recording, power measurement instrumentation and reporting regimes. The proposed certification scheme, for individual devices or whole marine energy farms, covers procedures for checking conformity in areas including performance, reliability, power network inter-action, and safety.

EMEC began standards development work in 2003, the year of its inception, when it pioneered methods for characterising localised wave energy levels and matching these to electrical power measurement to consistently gauge wave energy device performances.

For further information, contact:
Eileen Linklater, EMEC
Tel: 01856 852060
Email: info@emec.org.uk
Website: www.emec.org.uk
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