The SELKIE cross-border project aiming to boost the marine energy industry in Wales and Ireland has announced that Ocean Energy is the winning wave energy company following a tender call for participation in a pilot demonstration project.
Ocean Energy is based in Cobh, Ireland. It has been following a technology development route resulting in a device said to be of robust and practical design, with one moving part out of the sea-water. Early Technology Readiness Levels were covered through tank tests in Cork and Nantes. The progression up the TRL levels resulted in over 3 years of successful live sea trials at the Galway Bay Test Site resulting in proven survivability for the device.
Ocean Energy have recently completed the fabrication of the OE35 device, rated at 500 kW, for deployment at the US Navy Test Site in Oahu, Hawaii. This device has been delivered to Hawaii and will be deployed at the test site for 12 months.
SELKIE is bringing together leading researchers and businesses to improve the performance of marine energy devices and technologies. University College Cork are leading the project in partnership with Swansea University, Marine Energy Wales, Menter Môn, DP Energy Ireland and Gavin and Doherty Geosolutions. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Co-operation programme.
The project is developing a streamlined commercialisation pathway for the marine energy industry by establishing a cross-border network of developers and supply chain companies in Ireland and Wales. Multi-use technology tools, templates, standards and models are being created for use across the sector in Wales and Ireland. These include techno-economic models, foundations and mooring design, physical and numerical array modelling, sensor optimisation and data analysis, and operations and maintenance and logistics models.
SELKIE will test and validate the technology tools on two pilot demonstration technologies; one wave and one tidal. Using a structured development path, the pilot testing is expected to advance the knowledge and improvement of marine energy devices in terms of their reliability, survivability, operability, stability and commercial viability.
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