Ocean Renewable Energy
Covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, one of the largest potential sources of low carbon energy conversion surrounds us – the ocean. Although there has been much success in the development of offshore wind (e.g. 20 GW installed globally), no other form of ocean renewable energy conversion has been exploited at significant scale, yet there is huge potential for wave energy (up to 1 TW), tidal energy (up to 1 TW), and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) (estimated as up to 5 TW). The biggest barrier to progress is cost, and so SEEC will focus on research areas that will lead to cost reduction, including an improved understanding of the resource, and with a particular focus on wave energy and tidal energy (both tidal range and tidal stream).
Aims & Objectives
The overarching aim of the ocean renewable energy work package is cost reduction, through a combined modelling and observational approach. The specific objectives are:
- Improved resource characterization.
- Improved understanding of multiple resource interactions.
- Exploring future grid integration of marine renewable energy.
- Improved methods of quantifying environmental impacts.