Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MARINERG-i_PP (Marine Renewable Energy Distributed Research Infrastructure - Preparatory Phase)
Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2025-05-31
MARINERG-i is focused on enhancing Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) testing facilities as the world shifts towards sustainable energy. The EU has set ambitious 2050 targets, aiming for 300 GW of offshore wind and 40 GW of ocean energy. Achieving these goals necessitates the rapid development of innovative technologies such as floating wind, wave, and tidal energy. These technologies are recognized as strategic under the EU's Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which mandates that at least 40% of annual deployment needs for key net-zero technologies come from domestic manufacturing by 2030.
To facilitate this transition, advanced testing capabilities are essential for validating new technologies and mitigating deployment risks. These facilities allow for robust testing in both onshore and real-sea environments, which is crucial for standardization and certification processes required for commercial readiness.
MARINERG-i aims to establish an independent legal entity of distributed testing infrastructures, creating an integrated center for ORE delivery. This initiative represents a long-term partnership among top-tier testing facilities, providing coordinated services that meet evolving end-user needs. By consolidating expertise, investment, and access to infrastructures, MARINERG-i will accelerate innovation across various ORE technologies and stages of development. As the only integrated ORE platform of its scale globally, it will solidify the EU's leadership in this sector.
The importance of a coordinated approach is supported by previous projects like MaRINET and MaRINET2, which involved 45 infrastructures across 36 research centers in Europe. These initiatives delivered joint research that improved testing outcomes while fostering a functional network and a high-demand access program. However, the transient nature of these efforts highlights the need for a fully integrated, long-term strategy.
Mission Goals:
Drive Innovative Development: Streamline research, testing, training, and user access while adopting common codes of practice for uniform testing, performance metrics, validation, and certification.
Accelerate ORE Development: Promote cross-sector collaborations and integrate distributed testing infrastructures to enhance the development of innovative ORE technologies.
Inform Policy: Provide insights for national and EU policy and infrastructure investment strategies to maintain global leadership in the ORE sector.
By enabling collaboration and interoperability among testing centers across Europe, MARINERG-i aligns with EU innovation goals, as evidenced by its inclusion in the 2021 ESFRI Roadmap as a Distributed Research Infrastructure (DRI) of European significance. It directly supports EU technology leadership in ORE, contributing to initiatives like the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal and the Net-Zero Industry Act.
The DRI will be established as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), comprising member countries that support their national research infrastructures through a national node facility. A host country will lead this collaboration, with a Central Management Office (CMO) overseeing operations. The CMO will manage service groups, each specializing in different areas.
Services will include:
- Streamlined access to world-class test infrastructure and funding opportunities (EU, national, and other sources).
- Assistance with facility selection and technology development planning.
- Training for end-users and infrastructure staff to enhance facility use and expertise.
- Data management and processing through a data portal.
- e-infrastructure, one-stop-shop to access services & foster collaboration.
- Standardization to improve testing quality and outcomes through a common scientific strategy.
- Knowledge dissemination e.g. maintaining plan for future infrastructure investment needs.
To facilitate this transition, advanced testing capabilities are essential for validating new technologies and mitigating deployment risks. These facilities allow for robust testing in both onshore and real-sea environments, which is crucial for standardization and certification processes required for commercial readiness.
MARINERG-i aims to establish an independent legal entity of distributed testing infrastructures, creating an integrated center for ORE delivery. This initiative represents a long-term partnership among top-tier testing facilities, providing coordinated services that meet evolving end-user needs. By consolidating expertise, investment, and access to infrastructures, MARINERG-i will accelerate innovation across various ORE technologies and stages of development. As the only integrated ORE platform of its scale globally, it will solidify the EU's leadership in this sector.
The importance of a coordinated approach is supported by previous projects like MaRINET and MaRINET2, which involved 45 infrastructures across 36 research centers in Europe. These initiatives delivered joint research that improved testing outcomes while fostering a functional network and a high-demand access program. However, the transient nature of these efforts highlights the need for a fully integrated, long-term strategy.
Mission Goals:
Drive Innovative Development: Streamline research, testing, training, and user access while adopting common codes of practice for uniform testing, performance metrics, validation, and certification.
Accelerate ORE Development: Promote cross-sector collaborations and integrate distributed testing infrastructures to enhance the development of innovative ORE technologies.
Inform Policy: Provide insights for national and EU policy and infrastructure investment strategies to maintain global leadership in the ORE sector.
By enabling collaboration and interoperability among testing centers across Europe, MARINERG-i aligns with EU innovation goals, as evidenced by its inclusion in the 2021 ESFRI Roadmap as a Distributed Research Infrastructure (DRI) of European significance. It directly supports EU technology leadership in ORE, contributing to initiatives like the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal and the Net-Zero Industry Act.
The DRI will be established as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), comprising member countries that support their national research infrastructures through a national node facility. A host country will lead this collaboration, with a Central Management Office (CMO) overseeing operations. The CMO will manage service groups, each specializing in different areas.
Services will include:
- Streamlined access to world-class test infrastructure and funding opportunities (EU, national, and other sources).
- Assistance with facility selection and technology development planning.
- Training for end-users and infrastructure staff to enhance facility use and expertise.
- Data management and processing through a data portal.
- e-infrastructure, one-stop-shop to access services & foster collaboration.
- Standardization to improve testing quality and outcomes through a common scientific strategy.
- Knowledge dissemination e.g. maintaining plan for future infrastructure investment needs.
MARINERG-i has entered the ESFRI roadmap preparatory phase, funded by the Horizon Europe MARINERG-i_PP project (GA101128668). A consortium is finalizing the creation of an independent entity to begin offering services. National commitments have been secured from Ireland (host), Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK, with applications underway in France, Italy, and Norway. Germany is also engaged in securing support. The project aims to expand membership to countries like Sweden and Denmark and establish international collaborations, particularly with Japan, the USA, and Canada.
The preparatory phase project has profiled existing top-tier infrastructures, identified 160 test infrastructures from 60 facilities that would ideally comprise the DRI’s initial service offering covering technologies from TRL1-9. The project has reaffirmed its common scientific strategy and is working on plans to implement research mechanisms that enhance testing outcomes. The e-infrastructure initial design is complete. An access portal for users is in development, with a first version expected by Autumn 2025. Additionally, a data management plan was defined to ensure compliance with Open Science and FAIR data principles. Key preparatory project outcomes include a comprehensive market analysis, cost book and cost book analysis, aimed at defining membership fees and funding models, providing sustainability projects and key input to the final business plan (in draft). A review of additional revenue streams is also being completed. The governance structure and operational plan has been fully defined, with contracts being drafted for readiness at the end of this phase. Performance indicators for tracking progress have also been established.
For further information, visit MARINERG-i or contact marinergi@ucc.ie.
The preparatory phase project has profiled existing top-tier infrastructures, identified 160 test infrastructures from 60 facilities that would ideally comprise the DRI’s initial service offering covering technologies from TRL1-9. The project has reaffirmed its common scientific strategy and is working on plans to implement research mechanisms that enhance testing outcomes. The e-infrastructure initial design is complete. An access portal for users is in development, with a first version expected by Autumn 2025. Additionally, a data management plan was defined to ensure compliance with Open Science and FAIR data principles. Key preparatory project outcomes include a comprehensive market analysis, cost book and cost book analysis, aimed at defining membership fees and funding models, providing sustainability projects and key input to the final business plan (in draft). A review of additional revenue streams is also being completed. The governance structure and operational plan has been fully defined, with contracts being drafted for readiness at the end of this phase. Performance indicators for tracking progress have also been established.
For further information, visit MARINERG-i or contact marinergi@ucc.ie.
38 prospective participating testing facilities were profiled, and 45 potential users were surveyed to assess their technical capabilities and sectoral needs respectively. This analysis ensures that the proposed MARINERG-i DRI will be appropriately equipped to address user requirements.
Key Findings
Funding Gaps: A significant challenge is the lack of sustained funding for testing facilities. Two-thirds of surveyed users indicated that funding availability drives their choice of facility.
Standardization Needs: A lack of standardized practices across test infrastructures leads to inefficient resource use and can hinder technology progression from lab to full-scale testing.
Demand for Full-Scale Testing Sites: The MARINERG-i stakeholder survey revealed that 40% of users will require full-scale test sites within the next 5-10 years.
See results at www.marinerg-i.eu/results/
Key Findings
Funding Gaps: A significant challenge is the lack of sustained funding for testing facilities. Two-thirds of surveyed users indicated that funding availability drives their choice of facility.
Standardization Needs: A lack of standardized practices across test infrastructures leads to inefficient resource use and can hinder technology progression from lab to full-scale testing.
Demand for Full-Scale Testing Sites: The MARINERG-i stakeholder survey revealed that 40% of users will require full-scale test sites within the next 5-10 years.
See results at www.marinerg-i.eu/results/