Predictive Tidal Data Products

The independent consultant will be required to report on the following:-


Task 1

Internet based research to substantiate knowledge and information in each of the pre-identified 10 market areas and any additional found during the search.
1a) Assessment of market size, growth rates and future projections.
1b) Understanding of current market pricing and business models.
1c) Identification of the competition in each market sector and provide brief overview of strengths & weakness of their offering compared to NOC proposed product.

Outcome: Market Opportunity report, with suggestions of business models and pricing and identification of technical features of greatest importance per sector.


Task 2

In consultation with NOC, the consultant will identify a list of 30 companies and contacts, covering the full range of the 10 market applications areas of interest (or those we decide to focus on), specifically targeting one end user and two potential licensees in each market area. The consultant will then interview these contacts directly to understand:-
2a) licensee and user-group requirements for data in terms of accessibility, frequency of access and specific data content of interest;
2b) what the industry likes about current methods for obtaining this information;
2c) what the industry feels is missing from current data sets and data presentation;
2d) what, if any, potential barriers to market (e.g. warranty requirements from NERC/NOC);

Outcome: Licensee and End-User Requirements.


Task 3

Creation of a spreadsheet to provide a comparison of financial outcomes of various user numbers against different business models of payment.

Outcome: Business Model comparison spreadsheet

The consultant, or consultants, would be encouraged to think laterally to identify other applications/markets but it would be required at the very least to research the markets listed in the Beneficiaries section below.



How will the commissioned research inform our understanding?
This market report will provide us with the optimum mix of information to judge whether further development of the Data Product is desirable, viable and achievable, and therefore worthwhile investing in.



How will the research help shape the development and execution of our proposed Follow-on project work programme?
This report will inform the following three key areas of:-
1. Potential Applications / Markets
2. Licensee and end-user requirements
3. NOC's Technology and Commercialisation Plan for the Data Product
This will inform:-
1. Whether NERC/NOC continues to invest in the Data Product - Stop/Go;
2. If yes, how NERC/NOC needs to deliver the Data Product, and/or support services, to meet specific licensee/end-user requirements; and
3. How best NERC/NOC commercialises the Data Product to achieve Impact and licensing revenue.

We anticipate that the proposed Data Product will have a variety of society, economic and environmental impacts some of which are outlined below.

As the data product would enhance the operation of cheaper marine autonomous systems (MAS) versus the costs of surveys using research ships (e.g. RRS Discovery and RRS James Cook), it will help the NOC to continue to undertake integrated ocean research in the coastal zone in a most cost effective way. The use of these cheaper systems is critical to our research and long-term mission ensuring we use the best solutions to capture vital scientific data. This will have a positive long-term impact for society.

The economic impact should be seen through the prism of adding value to numerous companies across a wide range of sectors as outlined in the beneficiaries section and ultimately generating increased revenue for the UK Treasury via corporation tax of our license partners. By improving the product port-folio of these companies, it may also contribute to the creation of more jobs across these sectors.

In terms of environmental impact, we believe the data product could be an important part to a decision making tool to determine the best locations for tidal and wave renewable energy solutions; it could help shipping companies time their approaches or departures to make the best use of the tidal currents so minimising fuel use and it could help other coastal operators (offshore wind farm operators and the oil and gas industry) better plan their operations.

The research will enable NERC and NOC decide whether to commit further investment into this Data Product and it will recommend pricing options (Task 3). As outlined above, we know Seebyte would value this data and we require this research to identify other similar companies within this sector and the other sectors of the beneficiaries section. We know already that NOC glider operators value having this data as part of their piloting 'tool-kit' to control fleets of surface and underwater autonomous vehicles (see reference to the Autumn 2014 MARS project in the beneficiaries section).

Dave White, a pilot at NOC, says that "the predictive tidal layers will enable me and my team of pilots to better plan and operate a fleet of vehicles which is increasingly required by NOC scientists and other operators of fleets for the oil and gas sector."

Seebyte, which is developing a software product called SeaTrack to assist autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) pilots, also supports this Data Product and it has provided a letter of support to this end. Separately, NERC/NOC has agreed a 12.5% share of the net sales of this software product for the next 10 years, selling into the military and oil and gas sectors, and so we are keen to support them with this Data Product. Sunsail, a leading yacht chartering company, also supports this project as they wish to incorporate the tidal currents into their app for use by their customers.