The world is transitioning to more sustainable energy sources and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) can make a significant contribution to the renewable energy mix in Europe and globally. However, a long-term coordinated Research and Development (R&D) initiative is needed to develop the innovative technology required to harness the potential of wind, wave and tidal energy. A core requirement is an integrated strategic approach amongst testing facilities.
Developers require research infrastructures to supply the controlled conditions to test a technology/device and progress through the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). European test site installations are typically small to medium-sized and cannot offer a wide variety of services to test multiple technologies across the TRLs or specialised expertise in all the areas required. There is also a lack of common and standard practices. This results in developers undertaking isolated testing in several places, sometimes backed up by limited or short-term financing. The absence of continuous support and momentum is an obstacle to substantially advancing knowledge and efficiently advancing technologies. This approach also fails to take advantage of potential joint research and knowledge sharing between facilities that could improve testing methods and outcomes. In addition, the lack of strategic planning results in facilities scattered throughout the EU, which produces redundancies and/or gaps across the TRL map.
To date, the ORE R&D community’s approach has been to share efforts though joint actions such at ERA-NET and Framework programmes (FP7, H2020). For example, the MaRINET project successfully delivered a network of facilitites; joint research to improve the quality of testing outcomes; and a high demand access programme. However, these efforts have a limited impact given their transient nature. It is time now to evolve to a fully integrated and long-term approach.
MARINERG-i is an H2020 EU project (2017-2019) that aims to extend existing programmes and seek additional mechanisms to support a more effective and sustainable collaboration. The consortium is comprised of 14 partners and brings together all the European countries with significant testing capabilities in ORE (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom). The primary objective is to define the MARINERG-i Distributed Research Infrastructure (DRI) concept, designed to facilitate the future growth and development of the ORE sector. To achieve this, the project has produced a scientific and business plan for an integrated European DRI. Results will be used to gain support for the realisation of this Pan-European RI and for an application to the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) 2021 roadmap. Success would provide access to funding to establish and prove the sustainability of the MARINERG-i DRI.
