Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CRIMSON (Commercialisation of a Recyclable and Innovative Manufacturing Solution for an Optimised Novel marine turbine.)
Période du rapport: 2022-06-01 au 2024-05-31
The escalating threats of climate change underscore the urgent need to develop renewable energy technology and capacity, while geopolitical tensions highlight the perils of overreliance on imported fossil fuels, recently exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The CRIMSON project presents a low-risk approach to the imperative goal of developing sustainable domestic energy solutions, by exploiting the untapped resource potential of marine energy. The wave and tidal energy sectors plan to deploy 100GW of capacity by 2050, emphasising their vital role in the EU's transition from a fossil fuel-based system to a flexible and interconnected system based on clean and renewable indigenous resources.
The CRIMSON project aims to bring to market an innovative Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) power system at reduced cost and increased performance with full consideration for the cradle to grave lifecycle and a goal of maximising recycled content. The immediate impact of market adoption is to displace energy production from fossil fuels to sustainable marine energy, demonstrating the potential to generate gigawatts of energy from tidal currents.
The overall objectives were to:
• Implement a commercialisation strategy for the effective uptake of the ORPC MHK power systems throughout Europe
• De-risk the use of recycled carbon fibre material (rCF) in the marine environment through mechanical testing, and assess its environmental impact over its functional lifespan
• Design and manufacture a new reliable MHK turbine, including advanced structural health monitoring and modular design
• Prove the structural integrity of the new MHK turbine through advanced structural testing of a demonstrator
• Perform operational trials of the full-scale MHK turbine
• Reduce the LCoE for ORPC’s systems to reach a target of 150 €/kWh by 2025, in line with the Ocean Energy SET-plan.
The CRIMSON project aims to bring to market an innovative Marine Hydrokinetic (MHK) power system at reduced cost and increased performance with full consideration for the cradle to grave lifecycle and a goal of maximising recycled content. The immediate impact of market adoption is to displace energy production from fossil fuels to sustainable marine energy, demonstrating the potential to generate gigawatts of energy from tidal currents.
The overall objectives were to:
• Implement a commercialisation strategy for the effective uptake of the ORPC MHK power systems throughout Europe
• De-risk the use of recycled carbon fibre material (rCF) in the marine environment through mechanical testing, and assess its environmental impact over its functional lifespan
• Design and manufacture a new reliable MHK turbine, including advanced structural health monitoring and modular design
• Prove the structural integrity of the new MHK turbine through advanced structural testing of a demonstrator
• Perform operational trials of the full-scale MHK turbine
• Reduce the LCoE for ORPC’s systems to reach a target of 150 €/kWh by 2025, in line with the Ocean Energy SET-plan.
In WP1, project findings were disseminated to the marine energy sector and scientific community through channels such as trade shows, scientific journals, and conferences. The Italian channel Rai News 24 provided coverage during turbine demonstration tests, with TG4 and Raidio na Gaeltachta further publicly communicating results. The demonstration tests hosted approximately 250 visitors, including researchers in specialist committees such as the International Towing Tank Committee and members of the Italian PNRR-MOST Project. The consortium attended 25 conferences to gain traction within the marine energy market, and 18 scientific publications were created that were at least partially funded by the project, with 4 currently under preparation.
WP2 underwent Global and European market analysis for tidal energy and created a refined business plan and commercialisation strategy for ORPC, Eire Composites and MCAM. An extensive global review was performed to determine the commercial, technical, and environmental operating requirements for the proposed devices and considered the wider global opportunity for tidal energy, regulatory environment, revenue supports and overall commercial attractiveness. It revealed a cumulative 30.2MW of tidal stream technology deployed in Europe since 2010, with governments allocating greater funds to ocean energy, recognising its potential to enhance energy security amid unprecedented strain on energy supplies. A SWOT analysis of the CRIMSON technology is included. A business plan was created which details the route-to-market and the financing and operational/resource allocation strategy based on expected generated revenue. It outlines the projected commercial risks and returns, and associated funding requirements. CRIMSON addressed sectoral needs with a focus on lowering the CAPEX and OPEX of turbines, whilst aligning with broader policy trends towards the circular economy.
In WP3, the rCF material was de-risked for application in the marine environment through rigorous mechanical testing in ÉIRE’s certified Composites Testing Laboratory. The environmental impact of using rCF for this novel application was evaluated, demonstrating that use of recycled materials will create a far more environmentally friendly product. The mechanical testing results were incorporated into the design of the new MHK turbine in WP4, where numerous manufacturing trials were performed to develop a process suitable for volume production, and a demonstrator full-scale foil was manufactured including FBG sensors for structural health monitoring (SHM). Upon completion, the fully assembled MHK turbine was transferred to Rome for operational trials.
WP5 involved structural testing of the CRIMSON turbine foil. The testing programme adhered to stringent test specifications and covered dynamic, static and fatigue testing, as well as residual strength tests including a destructive static test. Significant achievements include reporting 1,300,000 fatigue cycles – the highest ever reported for a tidal turbine blade under dry laboratory conditions – and the ability to withstand 115% of idealised maximum loading conditions at the foil's cantilever end. The full-scale operation tests in the CNR-INM large towing tank in WP6 considered a full range of turbine operating conditions in more than 220 runs covering the tank length. Data collected provided key insights into turbine performance and relevant parameters, revealing CAPEX and OPEX reductions for the scalable turbine, ultimately capable of use on a 2MW tidal device. Funding was secured for the first deployment of an ORPC turbine in Europe, planned for Strangford Lough in Q3 2024.
WP2 underwent Global and European market analysis for tidal energy and created a refined business plan and commercialisation strategy for ORPC, Eire Composites and MCAM. An extensive global review was performed to determine the commercial, technical, and environmental operating requirements for the proposed devices and considered the wider global opportunity for tidal energy, regulatory environment, revenue supports and overall commercial attractiveness. It revealed a cumulative 30.2MW of tidal stream technology deployed in Europe since 2010, with governments allocating greater funds to ocean energy, recognising its potential to enhance energy security amid unprecedented strain on energy supplies. A SWOT analysis of the CRIMSON technology is included. A business plan was created which details the route-to-market and the financing and operational/resource allocation strategy based on expected generated revenue. It outlines the projected commercial risks and returns, and associated funding requirements. CRIMSON addressed sectoral needs with a focus on lowering the CAPEX and OPEX of turbines, whilst aligning with broader policy trends towards the circular economy.
In WP3, the rCF material was de-risked for application in the marine environment through rigorous mechanical testing in ÉIRE’s certified Composites Testing Laboratory. The environmental impact of using rCF for this novel application was evaluated, demonstrating that use of recycled materials will create a far more environmentally friendly product. The mechanical testing results were incorporated into the design of the new MHK turbine in WP4, where numerous manufacturing trials were performed to develop a process suitable for volume production, and a demonstrator full-scale foil was manufactured including FBG sensors for structural health monitoring (SHM). Upon completion, the fully assembled MHK turbine was transferred to Rome for operational trials.
WP5 involved structural testing of the CRIMSON turbine foil. The testing programme adhered to stringent test specifications and covered dynamic, static and fatigue testing, as well as residual strength tests including a destructive static test. Significant achievements include reporting 1,300,000 fatigue cycles – the highest ever reported for a tidal turbine blade under dry laboratory conditions – and the ability to withstand 115% of idealised maximum loading conditions at the foil's cantilever end. The full-scale operation tests in the CNR-INM large towing tank in WP6 considered a full range of turbine operating conditions in more than 220 runs covering the tank length. Data collected provided key insights into turbine performance and relevant parameters, revealing CAPEX and OPEX reductions for the scalable turbine, ultimately capable of use on a 2MW tidal device. Funding was secured for the first deployment of an ORPC turbine in Europe, planned for Strangford Lough in Q3 2024.
The current state-of-the-art of composite material recycling involves energy generation by burning shredded used composites; however, in most cases, used composite structures go straight to landfill and this potential energy capture is foregone. Any recycled CF is primarily downcycled into lower value products rather than recovered, as there is no significant high-volume market for recycled CF material. CRIMSON proposed a circular economy where old marine components (or other materials containing CF) are exposed to a pyrolysis process to recover the CF materials which are then reused for high-value marine component production.
Testing work benchmarked the rCF material against virgin materials commonly used in marine energy applications and evaluated the performance of rCF in a harsh marine environment, producing test-data showing its merits and limitations. Valuable operational data was generated in trials relating to the turbine power curves under different scenarios and the identification of failure modes of the foil's composite material, crucial information for future design optimisation, enabling increased robustness in failure locations and improved foil performance. The accuracy of an advanced FBG strain measurement system was validated in comparison to static testing reports, enabling its potential use in SHM during operation.
CRIMSON is perfectly aligned with the Energy Societal Challenge Goals and Objectives (cleaner, more efficient energy production) and the demand for solutions based on circular economy and integrated supply chains. It evaluated the suitability of rCF material for marine energy systems components, with ORPC being the first end user of newly completed technologies in its RivGen Power System. CRIMSON demonstrated CAPEX and OPEX reductions for the ORPC tidal turbine, reducing the LCoE of tidal energy and creating a new market for marine renewable energy.
Testing work benchmarked the rCF material against virgin materials commonly used in marine energy applications and evaluated the performance of rCF in a harsh marine environment, producing test-data showing its merits and limitations. Valuable operational data was generated in trials relating to the turbine power curves under different scenarios and the identification of failure modes of the foil's composite material, crucial information for future design optimisation, enabling increased robustness in failure locations and improved foil performance. The accuracy of an advanced FBG strain measurement system was validated in comparison to static testing reports, enabling its potential use in SHM during operation.
CRIMSON is perfectly aligned with the Energy Societal Challenge Goals and Objectives (cleaner, more efficient energy production) and the demand for solutions based on circular economy and integrated supply chains. It evaluated the suitability of rCF material for marine energy systems components, with ORPC being the first end user of newly completed technologies in its RivGen Power System. CRIMSON demonstrated CAPEX and OPEX reductions for the ORPC tidal turbine, reducing the LCoE of tidal energy and creating a new market for marine renewable energy.