FORESEA to Mark Project Successes at ICOE Drinks Reception

Since its launch, FORESEA has increased real-sea testing activity in the ocean energy sector. Ten projects have hit the water at European test centers with FORESEA support, with more to come in the next 18 months. To mark this success, a drinks reception will be held at ICOE2018 on Wednesday 13 June.

A fourth and final call for applications to the FORESEA program is open until 29 June 2018.

High demand. High delivery

Since its launch in 2016, demand for testing through FORESEA has been very high. Furthermore, the project has resulted in a significant increase in real-sea testing activity in the ocean energy sector.

To date, 14 technology demonstration projects have successfully secured support packages through FORESEA. Ten of these projects are either underway or are already completed. Developers will secure several more support packages before the program’s conclusion at the end of 2019.

Oliver Wragg, Commercial Director at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) said: "Two years into the project, FORESEA has made a tangible impact on the level of real-sea testing activity happening in North West Europe, driving investment into the sector and showing ocean energy’s true potential as a corner stone in establishing a pan-European clean energy system.

This activity is creating the critical mass of technology and innovation needed to prove performance and bring ocean energy to commercial readiness. It has also generated a lot of valuable collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the FORESEA technology developer and test center network. We hope this collaboration will continue in the longer term.”

Rémi Gruet, CEO of Ocean Energy Europe said: “FORESEA has been successful because it efficiently allocates public support for ocean energy where it is needed: pre-commercial testing. Technology demonstration in real-sea conditions is a costly, but necessary step on the road to commercialization, and FORESEA’s support packages enable this.

With ten technologies deployed, and more to come, we sincerely congratulate the FORESEA team on its success.”

A fourth and final call for applications through the FORESEA program is open until the 29 June 2018. For more information, click here.

FORESEA Reception at ICOE2018

To take stock of this success, the FORESEA project, with the support of Agence Regional Pays de la Loire, will hold a drinks reception at ICOE2018. The reception will take place at 17:00 on Wednesday 13 June at the Pays de la Loire pavilion.

Successes to date: FORESEA projects in the water

FORESEA has resulted in a number of innovation wins for the offshore renewable energy sector.

Antoine Félix-Henry, SEM-REV Manager, Centrale Nantes, said: “FORESEA project enables SMEs to test ocean energy technologies in open-sea conditions and bring them closer to the commercialization stage. It is mutually beneficial for both parties: developers get offshore experience at the test sites, and test sites improve their methodologies and expertise. This helps strengthen Europe’s status as the center of offshore renewable energy innovation worldwide”.

Some of the companies which are undergoing real-sea testing programs with FORESEA support are as follows:

Blackfish

The decommissioning and forensic analysis of a tidal energy tripod foundation currently deployed at EMEC. Academic teams from Brunel and Heriot Watt universities are involved to reap as much learning as possible from the project, and feedback lessons learnt to benefit the ocean energy sector. ROVCO unique underwater 3D modelization is also being used.

CorPower Ocean

The extended testing of Corpower’s C3 wave energy convertor at EMEC’s Scapa Flow scale test site. This includes testing survivability in storm conditions, and validating the power produced by the system. The deployment will utilize EMEC’s micro-grid system.

Ideol - Floatgen2

The extended testing of an Ideol’s 2 MW floating offshore wind system in a real-sea environment at SEM REV. The testing will validate power production performance, and also include an environmental impact assessment.

FMGC

The deployment of cables with different sections and linear masses to evaluate on-bottom lateral stability at SEM REV. Amongst other things, the project will also evaluate corrosion, abrasion and biofouling on cable shells.

Naval Group – Project Natick

FORESEA supported the installation of Microsoft’s underwater data center at the Billia Croo test site at EMEC in collaboration with Naval Group, through facilitating continuous remote monitoring of the data center in Orkney from the Microsoft offices based in Washington, USA. Deepwater deployment of datacenters offers ready access to cooling, a controlled environment, and has the potential to be powered by co-located renewable power sources.

NEREIS Environment – SEAc project

Testing an acoustic monitoring technology to perform acoustic impact assessments for marine renewable energy projects, using the Floatgen floating wind demonstration project at SEM REV.

Scotrenewables Tidal Power

The extended testing of the SR1-2000 turbine at EMEC’s Fall of Warness grid-connected test site. This included validation of hydrodynamic modelling, validation of PTO modelling, and power curve validation.

Sustainable Marine Energy

Maximized learning through detailed planning and maintenance for redeployment. Lessons learnt were captured and informed the further development of the rock anchors and PLAT-I which have been successfully deployment on the West Coast of Scotland.

Tocardo

The testing and validation of Tocardo’s Temporary Foundation System (TFS) and T2 tidal turbine at EMEC’s Fall of Warness test site. This included power performance testing to supplement certification requirements for Tocardo’s T2 turbine.

Whitford – BioFree project

Marine testing of anti-fouling coated plates at EMEC. With the support of Herriot Watt University, this project will help develop standard operating procedures for biofouling monitoring of offshore renewable technologies. It will also characterize biofouling and develop an anti-fouling strategy in extreme environments.