Supergen Marine - Core
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Energy Systems
Abstract
The UK Engineering and Physical Science Council (EPSRC) funded research consortium, Supergen Marine (1), which consisted of the University of Edinburgh; Heriot-Watt University; The University of Lancaster; The University of Strathclyde and the Robert Gordon University, has, since October 2003, been undertaking cutting edge research in support of the developing marine renewables industry. The consortium, which has been modified to include The Queen's University Belfast and the move of key members of the Robert Gordon University Marine Energy Group to the University of Edinburgh, is now bidding for continued support from the research council. The aims of the original Supergen marine research programme primarily related to enhancing understanding of the location, extent and characteristics of the marine energy resources. This was on a 3-10 year horizon, and is still valid. However, research priorities have evolved to recognise experiences and questions arising from early tests, the deployment of prototype devices and the outcomes of the original work programme. The overall aim, while still generic, has evolved and is now directed, in the revised research programme, towards increasing understanding of the device-sea interactions of energy converters from model-scale in the laboratory to full size in the open sea. The programme includes work on: device arrays and how these will influence local and regional environmental conditions; radical design approaches, which take into account new philosophies of design guidance; ensuring that numerical and physical design support is consistent and robust; the challenges posed by design in mixed tidal and wave environments; system control in complex non linear and evolving environments; the complex challenges posed by fixing, mooring and recovery of marine systems; the economic challenges posed by the variable and intermittent nature of the marine resource; the sparse information available to predict and assess the long term reliability of marine energy systems and how an increased understanding of all of these issues can be best disseminated within the stakeholder community.
Organisations
Publications
Allan, G.J.
(2008)
The electricity generation mix in Scotland: The long and windy road?
Folley M
(2009)
The effect of sub-optimal control and the spectral wave climate on the performance of wave energy converter arrays
in Applied Ocean Research
Ingram D
(2008)
The Development of Protocols for Equitable Testing and Evaluation in Ocean Energy - A Three-Year Strategy
in International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
Gao F
(2006)
The development of a Cartesian cut cell method for incompressible viscous flows
in International Journal for Numerical Methods in Fluids
Folley M
(2009)
The cost of water from an autonomous wave-powered desalination plant
in Renewable Energy
Folley M
(2009)
The control of wave energy converters using active bipolar damping
in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part M: Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment
McGregor P
(2008)
The CO2 'trade balance' between Scotland and the rest of the UK: Performing a multi-region environmental input-output analysis with limited data
in Ecological Economics
El-Geziry T
(2014)
The circulation pattern in the Mediterranean Sea: issues for modeller consideration
in Journal of Operational Oceanography
Osalusi E
(2009)
Structure of turbulent flow in EMEC's tidal energy test site
in International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer
Folley M
(2010)
Spectral modelling of wave energy converters
in Coastal Engineering
Description | The findings and output of this, now closed, second phase of SuperGen Marine are fully documented in the monograph that the research team produced at the conclusion, and on the SuperGen Marine website, from which the monograph may be downloaded. |
Exploitation Route | The work of the consortium has influenced technology, policy, standards, regulation and practice. |
Sectors | Energy |
URL | https://www.supergen-marine.org.uk/ |
Description | The findings of this project have influenced policy, standards, regulation and practice in the marine energy sector. |
First Year Of Impact | 2007 |
Sector | Energy,Environment |
Description | EPSRC |
Amount | £237,809 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/F062583/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2008 |
End | 09/2009 |