Press Release: EMEC to support development of marine energy test site in Singapore
An international collaboration agreement has been signed between the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) based in Orkney, Scotland, and the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University (ERI@N), Singapore, to support further development of the marine renewable energy industry in Southeast Asia.
EMEC – the world’s first and leading facility for wave and tidal energy converters – will advise the University on the setup of scale test facilities in Singapore; offering a different climate and sea conditions to EMEC’s own scale test sites in Orkney.
A memorandum of understanding was signed in Singapore on 1 November 2013 by Stuart Baird, EMEC’s operations director, and Professor Subodh Mhaisalkar, Executive Director of ERI@N, after Mr Baird spoke at the Asia Future Energy Forum, part of Singapore International Energy Week.
Scottish Government’s Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Fergus Ewing has commended the agreement:
“This is the latest in a number of agreements that have been established by EMEC not just in Southeast Asia but in Oregon, USA; Nova Scotia, Canada; China; South Korea; Japan; and Taiwan.
“With the signing of this memorandum of understanding, we are seeing yet another region opening up for the marine energy market. It is a further example of Scotland’s impressive global reach. We will continue to look beyond our borders to promote Scottish marine energy expertise and know-how, and to develop partnerships with businesses, research institutes and governments around the world.”
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, EMEC’s experience in the development and operation of a marine energy test facility is unrivalled, and its expertise is highly sought after across the globe.
Stuart Baird, operations director said:
“We’re delighted to be working with Nanyang Technological University, who already have a range of projects to promote and advance the research, development and deployment of sustainable technologies in one of the world’s most experienced maritime areas.
“Being the first facility of its kind in the world, EMEC has racked up some tremendous learning over the last ten years as we’ve developed and expanded our facilities and services to fit the needs of a nascent industry. It’s been a fruitful yet challenging journey, and one which other countries can learn from as they develop their own wave and tidal test centres.”
KOH Eng Kiong, programme director at ERI@N said:
“With the cutting-edge EMEC facilities and its achievements, cooperation with EMEC will be very beneficial in boosting the development of international markets and common standards. With NTU’s strong expertise in sustainability research and its strategic location in Singapore which acts as a gateway to Southeast Asia, this collaboration will also bring about the best between East and West.”
This is the fifth partnership EMEC have made in Asia, having signed similar agreements with the Ocean Energy Association of Japan, Ocean University of China, Incheon Metropolitan City in South Korea and National Taiwan Ocean University. EMEC has also formed strategic alliances with The Fundy Ocean Energy Centre in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Centre in Oregon, USA.
EMEC’s newly appointed commercial director, Oliver Wragg commented:
“It’s important that we work with other countries around the world to ensure there is a global market waiting for our clients who are testing devices in Orkney today. With 14 full-scale test berths, and facilities for smaller scale demonstration, we continue to look at ways in which we can provide for our current and future customers both in Orkney and across the globe.”
