Advanced Design Tools for Ocean Energy Systems Innovation, Development and Deployment

Project Information

DTOceanPlus

Grant agreement ID: 785921

DOI 10.3030/785921

Closed project

EC signature date 30 April 2018

Start date 1 May 2018

End date 31 August 2021

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost € 7 918 317,91

EU contribution € 6 689 076,50

Coordinated by

FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DTOceanPlus (Advanced Design Tools for Ocean Energy Systems Innovation, Development and Deployment)

Reporting period: 2019-11-01 to 2021-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Ocean Energy could meet 10% of the EU power demand by 2050. However, technologies to harness ocean energy are not yet mature enough for widespread use, with performance, reliability and survivability challenges, leading to high costs of energy in comparison with other energy sources. It is clear from the more mature energy technologies that such challenges are typical early on in an industry, but can be overcome with the correct tools and processes to support market growth and technology innovation.

DTOceanPlus will accelerate the development of the ocean energy sector by developing and demonstrating a suite of 2nd generation advanced design tools for the selection, development and deployment of ocean energy systems. The scope of the DTOceanPlus tools will cover the two most developed sources of ocean energy, namely tidal stream and wave energy. The DTOceanPlus suite of tools will fill a significant gap in the market by providing a single, integrated, open-source solution that supports the entire innovation and development process for ocean energy sub-systems, devices and arrays, aligning innovation and development processes with those used in mature engineering sectors. It has been designed with sustainable, long-term innovation in mind and is intended to support innovators as the sector grows and long after the conclusion of the project.

This suite of design tools will reduce the technical and financial risks of devices and arrays to achieve the deployment of cost-competitive wave and tidal arrays. This will be focused on rapidly reducing the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCoE) offered which will contribute towards the European Union’s strategic energy goals. DTOceanPlus will achieve this by facilitating improvement of the reliability, performance and survivability of ocean energy systems and analysing the impact of design on energy yield, O&M and the environment, making the sector more attractive for private investment.

The DTOceanPlus suite of tools are made freely available as open-source to the entire ocean energy sector, thus ensuring the maximum impact and usability of the tools. It ensures that small and large organisations alike are able to take advantage of the tools, regardless of their financial standing. By producing standardised data models of ocean energy systems and by interfacing with industry standard software packages the result will be streamlined and impactful. Open access to these tools will also allow them to be utilised for education, training and knowledge exchange. All of the DTOceanPlus design tools have been demonstrated (TRL6) based on lessons learnt from the world’s first generation of ocean energy arrays, including those developed by DTOceanPlus project partners under the H2020 projects.

With applicability at regional, national, European and international levels, the DTOceanPlus suite of tools will be designed for technology developers, project developers, public funding bodies and private investors. The outputs of DTOceanPlus will also be relevant and of great value to a wider group of key stakeholders including policy makers, regulators, standards bodies, insurance providers and the supply chain. This will contribute to the strengthening of the European industrial technology base, thereby increasing job growth and European competitiveness.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

As a general overview, the following technical results achieved can be highlighted:

1. A comprehensive specification of the Ocean Energy Design Tools to meet the needs of the sector.
2. An integrated open-source suite of design tools to support the entire innovation and development process for ocean energy sub-systems, devices and arrays, consisting of the Structured Innovation tool (SI), Stage Gate tool (SG), Deployment Design tools (DD), Assessment Design tools (AD), Catalogue Module (CM) and Main Module (MM)
3. Online documentation: Tutoriasl, How-to guides, background and API reference.
4. A novel framework for the standard representation of data formats for Ocean Energy Systems.
5. Results and recommendations from 11 demonstration scenarios for different uses of the design tools.
6. Technical reports detailing the market analysis of the ocean energy sector: Potential markets, European supply chain, Feasibility and cost-benefit, New business models, and Legal, institutional and political framework.

Other results related to the dissemination, exploitation and impact potential are as follows:

1. Project website operational since Month 3.
2. Dissemination and Communication Plan (DCP).
3. Education and Training Plan.
4. Data Management Plan (DMP).
5. Plan for exploitation of the suite of design tools
6. Annual reports on the impact of the dissemination and communication activities
7. Various education and training activities: webinars, training session and workshops.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

This section includes the progress beyond the SoA, expected results and potential impact until the end of the project.

• DTOceanPlus suite of tools (TRL6).
• Standard data models to represent ocean energy systems.
• A method of adding rigour and organisation to the process of innovation.
• Continued and objective measurement of technology progress through the TRLs.
• A single, integrated solution for the optimised design of ocean energy technologies all levels of ocean energy technology.
• Impact of array design decisions based on key metrics such as operational performance, lifetime costs and acceptability.
• Exploitation model to facilitate tool refinement and innovation beyond the end of the project.
• A set of recommendations for stakeholders in order to improve global performance of ocean energy arrays, devices and critical sub-systems.
• Analysis of the European supply chain, potential markets for Ocean Energy technology, as well as relevant legal, institutional and political barriers/enablers.

DTOceanPlus will generate the expected impacts listed in the call within 5 years of project completion:
• Reduce the technological risks for the next development stages.
• Significantly contribute to an increase in technology performance.
• Increase reliability and lifetime, while decreasing operation and maintenance costs.
• Reduce the life-cycle environmental and socio-economic impacts.
• Reduce ocean energy technology installation time and cost and/or operational costs.
• The new design tools will eventually result in more cost-effective arrays.
• Contribute to the strengthening the European industrial technology base.

DTOceanPlus will also contribute to substantial Horizon 2020 key drivers and/or EU policies such as:
• Support fulfilment of the European Commission’s strategic energy goals.
• Improve the grid integration of ocean energy technologies.
• Contribution to standardisation processes.
• Advance design consensus in ocean energy sector.
• Enhance European innovation capacity.
• Create new market opportunities.
• Contribute to the fight against climate change.
• Facilitate communication between technology developers and public/private investors.

DTOceanPlus, Main Module during training session

DTOceanPlus metaphor

DTOceanPlus tools diagram

DTOceanPlus logo